


The Sum of Our Choices: The Titan's Curse

by TheTimeTraveler24



Series: The Sum of Our Choices [1]
Category: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard - Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Book 3: The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson), F/M, Gen, M/M, Time Travel, but no one actually says it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:53:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 45,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24637117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTimeTraveler24/pseuds/TheTimeTraveler24
Summary: Maybe it's not always about trying to fix something broken. Maybe it's about starting over and creating something better.A group of special individuals are drawn together for a reason. They might not see it yet, but they are the only ones who have the power to change their destiny. They'll face opposition from the gods along the way and sometimes things won't work out the way they want. But this group is special. Their choices just might be the key to everything.Something is happening. Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, and Thalia Grace are on their way to Westover Hall in response to a distress call from Grover Underwood. At the same time, Magnus Chase is wandering around in the woods. Under strange circumstances, the two groups meet and the course of history will never be the same.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase & Magnus Chase, Annabeth Chase & Magnus Chase & Alex Fierro & Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase & Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase & Thalia Grace & Grover Underwood & Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Magnus Chase & Alex Fierro, Magnus Chase/Alex Fierro, Nico di Angelo & Will Solace, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, if you squint there's small traces of, implied, there will be a split second of
Series: The Sum of Our Choices [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1781341
Comments: 169
Kudos: 391
Collections: Best of the time travel and SI/OCs





	1. Good Morning! Your Rescue Mission is About to Go Horribly Wrong! (Magnus and Percy)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooo..... I was going to keep posting Always Towards the Sun. But I'm okay with taking a break on that story now that I have the three days out of the way. So I'm posting this one for now while I work a little more on the next chapters of Always Towards the Sun.
> 
> Another time travel story (even if I never actually have the characters say it). It popped into my head one day and I started writing it down. Hope you enjoy!

NORMALLY, THE DAY STARTED WITH breakfast to the death. Maybe even a little getting dressed to the death. That last one depended on how the other residents of floor 19 felt that morning.

The day did not usually start with confusing Magnus to the death.

Magnus Chase, for his part, considered himself well adjusted to the ever changing and hectic afterlife that was Hotel Valhalla. He was willing to believe in the impossible and when gods showed up to ruin his life, he had accepted that as a regular course of nature.

However, one thing he had _not_ come to accept was waking up in strange places. The one normal comfort he had was the guarantee that if he fell asleep or died or whatever, he would definitely wake up in his bed in his room on floor 19 of Hotel Valhalla.

Depending on the day, he might wake up only to be beheaded by Alex. He might wake up to TJ’s eager face chattering about the hills they would take today in single combat, group combat, or free-for-all combat to the death. There was also the oh so fun way of waking up to Mallory and Halfborn hollering at the top of their very impressive set of lungs.

Magnus prefered to wake up to none of these options.

Which was why he felt relieved when he woke up and it was silent. Then he realized, _Holy crap it’s silent. Who’s about to die?_ He jumped up, hand reaching for Jack’s pendant form around his neck.

His hand closed around… nothing?

“Jack?” Magnus whispered hopefully, glancing around in the dark. “Jack?”

No singing sword came to his aid.

Magnus really hoped he was still in Valhalla because if he was without a weapon and something was about to happen, he’d really prefer it if he could die safely and wake up in his bed in a few hours.

* * *

If Percy had a drachma for every time something insanely crazy happened to him, he would probably be part of the top one percent. If he had two drachmas for every time he almost died doing said insanely crazy thing, that would definitely push him into the spot of richest man in the world.

To be honest, he was done with it. Just one peaceful year was all he was asking for. It seemed like he was going to get that peaceful year too. College in New Rome with Annabeth. That would be at least four years of peace and quiet. He just had to make it that far first.

Then Apollo decided to get himself turned into a mortal and Percy got stuck as the designated driver to get him to Camp Half-Blood. Stuff happened, Percy survived, he went home.

One would have thunk that would be it.

No, no. Annabeth's cousin, her _dead_ cousin, needed his help to learn how to sail a boat and not die.

Okay. Percy could respect that. As Poseidon’s son, he was probably one of the best people to turn to for that and he was actually very flattered that Annabeth recommended her cousin talk to him.

The only thing he had a problem with was the fact that Annabeth’s cousin (his name was Magnus rhymes with swagnus, whatever that means) needed these lessons in order to go on a quest to save the world because apparently some Norse god named Loki (not the one that looks like Tom Hiddleston) decided it was a good time to kickoff Ragnarok. Loki did _not_ consult Percy before making that decision.

And now this happened.

Percy didn’t mention Paul’s strange absence to his mom. Paul was a teacher and it was expected that he would be at meetings. Percy didn’t keep track of those meetings, so he didn’t see it as a problem that Paul was gone.

When Thalia showed up, he didn’t question it. He did question the melting snow in her hair, but only inside his head. For all he knew, Thalia and the Hunters (that would make a great band name) had been in Antarctica hunting the ancient polar bear or something.

He did question it when Annabeth showed up. Because as far as he knew, Annabeth was much, much older than the Annabeth before him.

* * *

“This is so stupid,” Magnus grumbled. “Okay, Alex! Haha, very fun. You got me. Can I go home now?”

No response.

“Mallory?” he tried. “Halfborn? TJ? Hello? You’ve made… whatever point you’re trying to make. Can I have my sword back?”

Again. No response.

“Blitzen!” Magnus shouted, getting irritated now. “Hearthstone!” he paused and smacked his head. What was up with him forgetting that there was no way Hearth could hear him no matter how loud he yelled.

He was in the woods somewhere. Definitely Midgard, he decided, but there was snow on the ground. Whichever one of his friends that had put him here had thoughtfully dressed him in winter boots and a winter jacket. The boots and jacket weren’t that bad looking either which affirmed his assumption that Blitz had some part of this.

An owl hooted in the trees.

Magnus glared up at it. “Alex, Sam, if that’s one of you, I swear.”

The owl hooted again and took off.

“I _will_ kill them,” Magnus mumbled to himself. “Well, I’ll kill - try - try to kill Alex. I’ll have to wait for Sam to join the einherjar. If that’s what happens anyway.” He sighed and continued trudging through the snow.

* * *

“Sorry I’m late,” Annabeth said, pushing past Percy into the Jackson household. “Are we ready to go?”

Percy blinked. “Uh, what?” he asked, staring at his girlfriend.

Thalia rolled her eyes. “Seriously, Percy? Grover’s distress call? Ring any bells?”

_Grover’s what?_

Annabeth shot Percy a nervous smile. “I’m sure Percy’s just worried about Grover. Don’t be so harsh, Thalia.” She brushed past Percy to greet Sally Jackson.

As Annabeth passed him, Percy felt a small piece of paper worm its way into his hand.

“Let me go grab something,” Percy said. “I’ll be right back.” He bolted for his room and closed the door. He unfolded the paper Annabeth gave him.

_Don’t be stupid, Percy. Act natural. We’re going to Maine to meet up with Grover. Talk more later. At Camp._

_Annabeth_

That didn’t exactly answer any questions, but at least Percy had some idea of what was going on. Grover needed help and he had asked Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia to help him. Percy didn’t need to know why Annabeth looked so much younger to help Grover.

He left his room and met his friends and mom at the door. “Ready.”

“Let’s go help our goat,” Thalia said.

* * *

It felt like a million years passed before Magnus reached the end of the woods. A building made of black stone that looked like a castle greeted him.

“Cliche villain hideout,” Magnus muttered. “Guess that’s where I have to go. Unless _someone_ wants to let me out of this whatever this is. Bad dream? Hallucination? Manipulating Magnus’ Dreams to the Death?”

Still, none of his friends appeared to pull him back to the safety of Valhalla.

Magnus trudged forwards towards the castle. He peered up at the writing above the doors.

“Westover Hall,” he read.

He shrugged and pulled open the door and walked inside. The door closed with a resounding _thunk_ that was so ominous, Magnus decided that he _had_ to be in the right place. He snuck down the dark hallways towards the source of muffled noise. He came to a stop outside the gymnasium. Magnus was about to enter when a semi-familiar voice interrupted his stealth mission.

* * *

The eight-hour drive was filled with stories of baby Percy Jackson doing this and baby Percy Jackson doing that. Percy tuned it out and tried to focus on the problem at hand. He started out by listing off everything he knew.

  1. Grover sent out a distress call
  2. Annabeth and Thalia were supposed to go with him to figure out what was wrong
  3. Annabeth knew something was wrong
  4. Annabeth looked distinctly younger than the last time he saw her
  5. It was winter now



With all that in mind, Percy could only come up with one logical conclusion. Unfortunately, it was very illogical and Annabeth would probably laugh in his face if he suggested it.

It was almost a relief when they arrived at their destination. Until Percy saw the name of the building his mom was currently stopped in front of.

Westover Hall.

Oh gods. That brought back bad memories.

This was the school Bianca and Nico di Angelo went to before Percy arrived to disastrously bring them to Camp Half-Blood. The whole thing resulted in Bianca joining the Hunters and going on a quest which she got herself killed on. _That_ prompted Nico to run away from Camp and learn his Underworld powers from a revenge seeking ghost who almost got _Nico_ killed. Nico didn’t exactly have a happy life after that either. In the end, Westover Hall was the beginning of the end for the di Angelos.

Percy had no idea why they were back here, but Annabeth shot him a look warning him that if he so much as said another word to question it, he would probably not live to see tomorrow.

Thalia led them into the school, doors slamming shut behind them. They could hear music coming from the other end of the hall.

After a hissed prompting from Thalia, Percy hastily stashed his overnight bag with her’s and Annabeth’s behind a pillar then dashed after them down the hall.

Suddenly, two figures appeared in their path. The terrible thing was, Percy _recognized_ them. The woman was the teacher named Ms. Gottschalk. The other guy, Percy swallowed, the other guy was Dr. Thorn. A monster. More specifically, a manticore.

“Well?” Ms. Gottschalk demanded. “What are you doing here?”

Annabeth opened her mouth. “Ma’am, we were just heading back-”

“Annabeth!” someone called.

Percy looked between the two adults (well, one adult and one monster) to see a mop of blonde hair running towards them. The blonde haired boy didn’t seem very fazed by the strange meeting which put Percy even more on edge than he had been before.

“What are you doing out of the gymnasium, Mr…” Ms. Gottschalk asked, trailing off at the end.

“Chase,” the boy prompted. “Magnus Chase, ma’am. I’m sorry about all this. Some friends dared my cousin and her friends to leave the gym for ten minutes. I was just coming to get them.”

Percy blinked. Magnus Chase? Annabeth’s dead cousin? He glanced at the blonde haired boy and his eyes nearly bugged out of his head. Because that was indeed Magnus Chase even though it looked like he had used the same deaging cream Annabeth apparently used.

Dr. Thorn narrowed his eyes. “Ms. Gottschalk, do you know these students?”

Ms. Gottschalk blinked, eyes slightly glazed. “I… yes. I believe I do, sir.” She frowned at them. “Mr. Chase. Ms. Chase. I don’t know what you were thinking, but you need to return to the gymnasium at once. You two as well,” she added, looking at Percy and Thalia.

More footsteps and Grover appeared, breathless. “You made it! You-” He stopped short when he saw the teachers. “Oh, Ms. Gottschalk. Dr. Thorn! I, uh-”

“Was helping me look for them,” Magnus lied swiftly. “But now that we’ve found them, we’ll just be going to the gym. Wouldn’t want to ruin the… dance.” He looked a little unsure whether he said the right thing or not.

“Yes, yes,” Ms. Gottschalk said impatiently. “Go on.”

Magnus nodded and tugged Annabeth and Percy towards the gym. “Come on.” He hustled them down the hall in the direction of the music.

Thalia and Grover didn’t say a word. Maybe they were too worried about the teachers overhearing. Maybe they were too confused.

Magnus hurried them to a door that had GYM written on the glass.

“Who the hell are you?” Thalia demanded as soon as they were inside the loud gym.

Annabeth shook her hands. “No, no, no. That’s my cousin! That’s Magnus!”

“Rhymes with swagness,” Percy added.

Magnus groaned. “Who told you about that?”

Percy grinned. “Your…” he paused and tilted his head. “Better half,” he decided. “Alex.”

Magnus sputtered. “Alex is many things, but I would not say Alex is the better half.”

Thalia looked at Percy. “You know this guy?”

“Yeah,” Percy admitted. “I do know him. Taught him everything I know about sailing.”

“Like keeping my butt clenched,” Magnus mumbled.

“Ooookay,” Thalia said slowly. She looked at Grover. “What’s the emergency?”

Grover glanced at Magnus uncertainly.

“It’s okay, Grover,” Annabeth said. “Magnus knows.”

Grover took a deep breath. “I found two.”

“Two half-bloods?” Thalia asked, amazed. “Here?”

Grover nodded.

Percy was beginning to get an overwhelming sense of dread. “Um, so these two half-bloods. Who are they?”

“Brother and sister,” Grover said. “They’re ten and twelve. I don’t know their parentage, but they’re both strong. We’re running out of time, though. I need help.”

“So let’s grab them and go,” Magnus said. He glanced at Annabeth. “I don’t suppose you know where Jack is?”

“Jack?” Annabeth repeated. “No. Sorry. I might have an extra-”

“Nah, it’s okay,” Magnus waved her off. “I’ll be more of a hindrance. Um, but I’m sticking with you. I have no desire to die for real.”

Surprisingly, Thalia nodded. “Been there. Done that. Dad turned me into a tree when I was dying.”

“Grover,” Percy said forcefully. “Where are these half-bloods?”

“Over there,” Grover said, nodding towards the bleachers. “Bianca and Nico di Angelo.”

Percy closed his eyes and offered a silent prayer to the gods that he would please wake up right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second time travel fic in this universe. I'm thinking this will go through the HoO, MCGA, and ToA series as well, but I'm not completely sure yet.
> 
> Not to sponsor my own works, but if you're interested in complete time travel fics for Percy Jackson, I have another story called When They Came. It's complete if you want to check it out.


	2. The Role of Annabeth Will be Played By... (Percy)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't read that as Percy is playing the role of Annabeth. Read that as "The Role of Annabeth Will be Played by..." as the chapter title and (Percy) as the narrator or perspective.

GROVER EXPLAINED TO THALIA AND MAGNUS about the monster, Dr. Thorn, while Percy and Annabeth studied the di Angelos.

Bianca was wearing her floppy green cap that covered her face, and it occurred to Percy that maybe it had been good for her self-esteem to join the Hunters. She had seemed much more confident and sure of herself after that.

Nico stood next to her, eyeing the people in the hall warily. Like Bianca, he had dark silky hair and olive skin although it might have just been Percy’s imagination or the bad lighting in the gym, but Nico seemed to be a shade paler than Bianca.

“Alright, let’s go get some demigods,” Magnus clapped his hands.

“No,” Thalia hissed. “Dr. Thorn just came back. He’s watching us and the di Angelos.” Her eyes narrowed. “And I don’t trust you. You manipulated the Mist without doing anything at all and suddenly Percy and Annabeth who haven’t mentioned you once are claiming to know you. Sorry, but that just seems a little too coincidental.”

“I call it glamour,” Magnus shrugged. “And I didn’t manipulate it. Not really. People just want to believe the easy answer. It’s easier for the teachers to believe we are actually students here, than it is for them to believe we aren’t. Now, about Nico and Bianca,” he said, clapping his hands together. “What do we do?”

“Don't look at the kids,” Thalia ordered. “We have to wait for a chance to get them. We need to  pretend we're not interested in them. Throw him off the scent.”

“I don’t think-” Percy started.

Thalia glared at him. “Just because you don’t want to dance, Percy, doesn’t make it a bad plan.”

“And if Dr. Thorn runs off with them because we weren’t looking at them?” Percy said challengingly. “Then what do we do?”

“I got this,” Magnus said cheerfully. “I’ll tell them that something is after them, I mean, it looks like they already think something’s after them. You heroes can take out the monster. Easy.”

“No way,” Thalia shook her head. “We should do this as discreetly as possible.”

“Do you have a getaway ride?” Magnus asked.

Thalia scowled. “No. We don’t need one. Percy can call for some pegasi.”

“Um, guys?” Grover said nervously.

“Shut up, Grover,” Thalia and Magnus said together.

“Guys,” Grover said a bit louder.

“What?” Thalia snapped.

Grover pointed towards the bleachers. “They’re gone.”

Percy glanced in the direction of Grover’s finger to see that the satyr was absolutely correct. Bianca and Nico were gone. So was Dr. Thorn.

“Styx,” Thalia cursed. She gave Magnus a look. “Alright. Fine. You can come with us, but if you make one wrong move, I  _ will _ destroy you.”

“Like I haven’t heard that before,” Magnus rolled his eyes.

They raced out the door by the bleachers that had been left open.

“Grover, you and Magnus get Bianca and Nico to safety,” Annabeth ordered. “Thalia, Percy, and I will take Dr. Thorn.”

“I won’t argue with that plan,” Magnus said in relief.

Percy pulled out Riptide and uncapped it. The celestial bronze blade sprang out. He grinned at Magnus. “Once you find Jack I’m sure he’ll be eager to meet Riptide.”

“I’m sure he will,” Magnus muttered.

They followed Thorn and the di Angelos outside and towards the woods. Percy was anxious to attack, but Annabeth cautioned against it.

“We need to know what he’s planning,” Annabeth whispered.

Thorn led the di Angelos down a snowy path dimly lit by old-fashion lamplights.

“There is a clearing ahead,” Thorn said. “We will summon your ride.”

“What ride?” Bianca demanded. “Where are you taking us?”

“Silence, you insufferable girl!”

“Don't talk to my sister that way.” Nico said angrily.

Dr. Thorn growled at him, but said nothing. Finally, when the woods opened up, he said, “Halt.”

Percy paled in his hiding spot in the woods. It was a cliff overlooking the sea. Not just any cliff, but the cliff Annabeth had tumbled over. His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword.

Thorn spoke into a walkie-talkie.

“What do you want from us?” Bianca asked desperately. “Because if you think you’ll get a ransom, you’re wrong. We don’t have any family. Nico and I…” Her voice broke a little. “We’ve got no one but each other.”

“Aww,” Dr. Thorn said. “Do not worry, little brats. You will be meeting my employer soon enough. Then you will have a brand-new family.”

The air around Thalia got static. Her face hardened.

Thorn looked toward the horizon. “Ah, here we are. Your transportation.”

In the distance they could hear the chopping of helicopter blades getting louder and closer.

“Where are you taking us?” Nico asked.

“You should be honored, my boy. You will have the opportunity to join a great army! Just like that silly game you play with cards and dolls.”

Nico bristled and the temperature dropped noticeably. “I do not play with  _ dolls _ . And you can take your great army and—”

“Now, now,” Dr. Thorn warned. “You will change your mind about joining us, my boy. And if you do not, well... there are other uses for half-bloods. We have many monstrous mouths to feed. The Great Stirring is underway.”

“Great what?” Bianca asked.

“The stirring of monsters.” Dr. Thorn smiled evilly. “The worst of them, the most powerful, are now waking. Monsters that have not been seen in thousands of years. They will cause death and destruction the likes of which mortals have never known. And soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus!”

Bianca looked at Thorn like he was nuts. Which made sense because she definitely thought he was nuts. Percy remembered that much.

Annabeth put her hat on and disappeared. Moments later, the di Angelos fell to the ground and a volley of missiles from Thorn’s tail zipped harmlessly over their heads.

“Guess this is our cue,” Thalia muttered, standing up and unfurling her shield. “Grover, Magnus. Get the kids. Come on, Percy.”

Thalia was as fierce running into this battle as ever. She wielded a huge spear and charged in Aegis first. Pretty much, she put the fear of Medusa into everyone and then stabbed them with her spear. It was a very effective battle tactic ninety percent of the time.

This wasn’t part of that ninety percent because as soon as Thalia jabbed at his head, Dr. Thorn snarled and swatted the spear aside. If it hadn't been for Aegis, Thalia would've been sliced like a loaf of bread. As it was, she managed to roll backward and land on her feet.

The sound of the helicopter was getting louder.

Dr. Thorn launched another volley of missiles at Thalia that deflected off Aegis, but the force of their impact knocked Thalia down.

Grover and Magnus ran over to Bianca and Nico.

“Come on,” Grover said.

Magnus guided them away from the cliff and out of the way of the fight. “Get back, get back.”

“Who are you people?” Bianca demanded. “What is that?”

“A manticore,” Percy said. 

“Get down!” Annabeth’s voice yelled.

Percy hit his wristwatch and his shield spiraled out to protect himself, Magnus, Grover, Bianca, and Nico from getting impaled. The thorns impacted against it with such force they dented the metal.

“Yield!” the monster roared.

“Never!” Thalia yelled from across the field.

She charged the monster, but then there was a thunderous noise and a blaze of light. The helicopter appeared out of the mist, hovering just beyond the cliffs. It was a sleek black military-style gunship, with attachments on the sides that looked like laser-guided rockets.

Percy’s blood boiled. According to Rachel, the Triumvirate had rented out mortals to Kronos’ army, including this helicopter. He yelled defiantly as water from down below the cliff shot up and engulfed the helicopter. He didn’t want to kill the mortals inside it, but he made sure that the helicopter wouldn’t be able to hurt them in this fight any longer. The column of water guided the helicopter to the bottom of the cliff.

Thorn whipped around to look at Percy. “Impressive, Percy Jackson. But there are more than just us.”

An owl hooted and swooped down to the ground.

Magnus gritted his teeth. “Alex!”

The owl gave Magnus a very odd look for an owl. It almost looked amused. Then the owl wasn’t an owl, but someone with dyed green hair and bright pink and green clothes.

Dr. Thorn blinked. “Who are-”

“Alex Fierro. He and him,” Alex grinned. He unlooped a wire from his waist. “Who are you?”

“I knew that owl was you,” Magnus muttered.

“Hey, Maggie,” Alex waved.

Thalia looked confused and angry. “What is going on?”

Before she could do anything else or anyone could answer her question, a hunting horn sounded in the woods.

The manticore froze. For a moment, no one moved. There was only the swirl of snow and wind and the chopping of the helicopter blades.

“No,” Dr. Thorn said. “It cannot be—”

His sentence was cut short when something shot past the demigods like a streak of moonlight. A glowing silver arrow sprouted from Dr. Thorn's shoulder. He staggered backward, wailing in agony.

“Curse you!” Thorn cried.

He unleashed his spikes, dozens of them at once, into the woods where the arrow had come from, but just as fast, silvery arrows shot back in reply.

The manticore pulled the arrow out of his shoulder with a howl of pain. His breathing was heavy.

Then the archers came from the woods. A dozen girls. The Hunters of Artemis.

“Oh, wonderful,” Thalia muttered. “The Hunters.”

One of the archers stepped forwards with her bow drawn. Percy had no trouble identifying her as Zoe Nightshade.

“Permission to kill, my lady?” Zoe asked.

Percy glanced at the group of Hunters and picked out the auburn hair girl as Artemis if he was remembering correctly.

Thorn wailed. “This is not fair! Direct interference! It is against the Ancient Laws.”

“Not so,” Artemis said. “The hunting of all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, foul creature, are a wild beast.” She looked at the older girl with the circlet. “Zoe, permission granted.”

The manticore glared. “If I cannot have these alive, I shall have them dead!” He lunged at Magnus, Grover, and the di Angelos who were currently the only ones weaponless.

“Oh no you don’t!” Alex growled, charging the manticore with his wire.

“Get back, half-blood!” Zoe called. “Get out of the line of fire!”

“Alex!” Magnus shouted.

Percy turned to yell at Zoe to stop and not shoot as Alex leapt onto the manticore’s back and pulled the wire tight against the monster’s neck.

“Fire!” Zoe ordered.

“No!” Magnus and Percy screamed.

But the Hunters let their arrows fly. The first caught the manticore in the neck. Another hit his chest.

The manticore staggered backward, wailing, “This is not the end, Huntress! You shall pay!”

And before anyone could react, the monster, with Alex still on his back, leaped over the cliff and tumbled into the darkness.

Magnus ran to the edge of the cliff. “Alex!” he yelled.

Annabeth was staring at the edge of the cliff in shock. Her lips moved, mouthing something Percy didn’t understand.

“You,” Zoe said when she saw Thalia.

“Zoe Nightshade.” Thalia's voice trembled with anger. “Perfect timing, as usual.”

“Do not blame me for that silly boy’s foolishness,” Zoe snapped.

Magnus snapped. “He’s not silly or foolish! Alex could have handled that thing! You just had to interfere and now-” he cut off and settled on just glaring at the Hunters.

Artemis looked genuinely sad. “I’m sorry, Magnus Chase, but your friend is beyond help.”

“Who are you to decide that?” Magnus said angrily. “You have no idea what Alex or I are capable of.”

Zoe stepped forward as if to smack him.

“No,” Artemis ordered. “I sense no disrespect, Zoe. He is simply distraught. He does not understand.” She looked at Magnus. “I am Artemis. Goddess of the Hunt."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick announcement. I am doing my best to portray Alex as he/she is portrayed in MCGA. Quite frankly, that is where a majority of my information on the genderfluid community comes from. I'll certainly do my research when it comes to that, but since I am not genderfluid myself, I honestly have no idea what that is like. So please feel free to call me out on anything because I'll be more embarrassed to keep something inaccurate in my story than I will be if I have to change something. I just wanted to put this out there. This goes for pretty much anything else as well. I do ask that you please tell me respectfully rather than angrily. I honestly don't mean to offend anyone.
> 
> Anyway, thanks for your time with that and I hope you enjoy this story!


	3. Percy Just Lets it Happen (Percy)

GROVER WENT UTTERLY BERSERK when he found out it was Artemis who saved him. If things had been different, Percy wouldn’t have minded Grover doing whatever he wanted to do, but considering he knew how crappy he felt when Annabeth was in Alex’s position, he wished they would hurry up and get to the part about going to camp so the quest to save Alex (technically, it would be Artemis) could get underway.

“Get up, goat boy!” Thalia snapped. “We have other things to worry about.” She rounded on Magnus. “Like who in Hades name is Alex?”

Nico made a small noise like he was irritated.

Percy jumped between Thalia and Magnus before one of them killed the other.

“Does that really matter right now?” he asked.

“When some guy shows up in the middle of the woods where we just happen to be fighting a manticore, yes!” Thalia shouted. “Especially considering that guy was an owl and Annabeth’s mystery cousin that only you and her know about knows this guy.”

Percy could feel Magnus seething behind him and suddenly, he was very, very glad Jack was nowhere to be found.

Bianca di Angelo saved the day.

“Whoa,” Bianca di Angelo said. “Hold up. Time out.”

Everybody looked at her. She pointed her finger at everyone in turn, like she was trying to connect the dots.

“Who... who are you people?”

Artemis's expression softened. “It might be a better question, my dear girl, to ask who are you! Who are your parents?”

Bianca glanced nervously at her brother, who was staring at Artemis like he didn’t know what to make of her.

“Our parents are dead,” Bianca said. “We're orphans. There's a bank trust that pays for our school, but…” she faltered at the disbelieving looks on Thalia’s and Zoe’s faces. “What?” she demanded. “I’m telling the truth.”

“You are a half-blood,” Zoe said. “One of thy parents was mortal. The other was an Olympian.”

“Not necessarily,” Percy interrupted. “Non-Olympians can have demigod kids too. Hecate, Iris, Hypnos, Nike-”

“Thank you, Percy Jackson,” Artemis said, a small smile visible on her lips. She turned back towards Bianca. “Zoe - and Percy - are correct.”

“One of our parents was a god?” Nico asked.

“Correct,” Zoe nodded.

Bianca opened her mouth to protest, but Percy beat her to it.

“Bianca, I know it’s hard to believe,” Percy said. “But the gods are still around. Trust me. They’re immortal. And whenever they have kids with regular humans, kids like us, well… Our lives are dangerous.”

“Dangerous,” Bianca said, “like the boy who fell.”

Magnus crossed his arms. “Alex. Alex Fierro.”

“Do not despair for Alex,” Artemis said. She stared off towards the edge of the cliff. “It was brave to attempt to take on a manticore with… was that a garrote?”

“An enchanted garrote,” Magnus said tightly.

Artemis nodded. “It was very brave. If he can be found, I shall find him.”

Zoe turned to look at Artemis incredulously. “My lady-”

“Zoe,” Artemis said, holding up a hand. “Do not question my decision. Son of Poseidon,” she said, looking at Percy. “You can sense it, can’t you? Some magic is at work. Your friend is no longer here.”

“If Alex was in the water, I could sense him,” Percy agreed. “He isn’t there. Neither is Dr. Thorn.”

“But they shot him,” Bianca protested. “With arrows. He’s dead, right?”

“Monsters never truly die,” Artemis explained. “They reform over and over again, and they must be hunted whenever they reappear.”

“Or they’ll hunt us,” Thalia added.

Bianca di Angelo shivered. “That explains... Nico, you remember last summer, those guys who tried to attack us in the alley in DC?”

Nico nodded silently.

“That’s why Grover has been watching you,” Annabeth said. “To keep you safe.”

“Grover?” Bianca stared at him. “You're a demigod?”

“Well, a satyr, actually.” He kicked off his shoes and displayed his goat hooves.

Bianca stared at the hooves like they had done something to personally offend her.

“Grover, put your shoes back on,” Thalia said. “You're freaking her out.”

“Hey, my hooves are clean!”

“Bianca,” Percy said, over Thalia and Grover, “we came here to help you. You and Nico need training to survive. Dr. Thorn won’t be the last monster you meet.”

Zoe looked like she was about to interject about the Hunters while Thalia looked like she would start fighting Zoe if one word was uttered about the Hunters. Magnus looked like he was going to storm off any second now.

Artemis wisely prevented all of this from happening.

“We’ve burdened these children enough,” Artemis announced. “Zoe, we will rest here for a few hours. Raise the tents. Retrieve our guests’ belongings from the school.”

Zoe’s eyes narrowed in Thalia’s direction. “Yes, my lady,” she finally said.

“And, Bianca, come with me. I would like to speak with you.”

“Bianca!” Nico hissed, clutching her hand tight.

Bianca looked down at Nico in worry. “What is it?”

Nico seemed to be fighting a battle with himself.

“I’ll be right back,” Bianca promised him. “If a… a goddess wants to talk to me, I better do it. Don’t you think? I mean, how much attack power does Artemis have? Wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that.” She smiled.

Nico didn’t smile back. He let go of her hand slowly.

Artemis led along the cliff. The Hunters began unpacking their knapsacks and making camp. Zoe gave Thalia one more evil look, then left to oversee things.

As soon as she was gone, Thalia stamped her foot in frustration. “The nerve of those Hunters! They think they're so... Argh!”

Nico looked like he wanted to agree with her.

Thalia finally calmed down. “Percy, Annabeth. Can we talk? Now.”

Annabeth glanced at Percy and nodded. “Sure, Thalia. Grover, Magnus, stay with Nico.”

Thalia, Percy, and Annabeth walked a short ways away from the group. Thalia fixed them with a steely look.

“Magnus _is_ my cousin, Thalia,” Annabeth said firmly. “I swear on the Styx.”

The vow seemed to break through Thalia’s cold look. She looked between Annabeth and Percy uncertainly.

“How does Percy know about him then?” Thalia asked. “All that time you spent with L… Luke and I, and not once did you mention him. I mean, Percy claims he’s even _met_ Magnus before today. I guess I just have a hard time believing Magnus is your cousin because that seems like something you would have told me and trusted me to know, Annabeth.” She shook her head. “It just seems like too big a coincidence with him showing up here and then that Alex appears too?” She looked at Annabeth, hurt. “I just wish you trusted me to know about this, Annabeth,” she said, returning back to the group.

Percy waited a moment before looking at Annabeth. “What _is_ Magnus doing here? What is _Alex_ doing here for that matter?”

“I don’t know,” Annabeth said. “But now Alex is missing. We have to find him.”

“We know where he is,” Percy said. “Let’s go now. If we do, no one else will get hurt.”

Annabeth shook her head. “Prophecy is changed. We have to hear it. Which means we go to camp and bring Magnus with us.”

“Chiron’s going to kill us,” Percy said wryly.

* * *

The Hunters set up their camping site in a matter of minutes. Seven large tents, all of silver silk, curved in a crescent around one side of a bonfire. One of the girls blew a silver dog whistle, and a dozen white wolves appeared out of the woods. They began circling the camp like guard dogs. The Hunters walked among them and fed them treats, completely unafraid. Falcons watched us from the trees, their eyes flashing in the firelight. Even the weather seemed to bend to the goddess's will. The air was still cold, but the wind died down and the snow stopped falling, so it was almost pleasant sitting by the fire.

“Percy Jackson,” Zoe said.

“Yes?” Percy asked.

Zoe studied him distastefully. “Come with me,” she said. “Lady Artemis wishes to speak with thee.”

Zoe led Percy to the last tent and waved him inside. Bianca di Angelo and Artemis were seated side-by-side.

“Join us, Percy Jackson,” the goddess said.

Percy sat across from her on the tent floor.

Artemis studied him. “You are not surprised by my age.”

“You’re a goddess,” Percy said. “You can look like whatever you want.”

Artemis smiled. “Indeed. This is the average age of my Hunters, and all young maidens for whom I am patron, before they go astray.”

“You mean fall in love,” Percy corrected her. “I know.”

Artemis’ smile didn’t waver. “Yes. You do. Now, you must forgive my Hunters if they do not welcome you. It is very rare that we have one boy in this camp let alone three. But I wish to speak with you.” She looked at Bianca. “Have you decided?”

Bianca hesitated. “I’m still thinking about it.”

Percy didn’t say anything. He almost got up to forcibly drag Bianca back to Nico, but in the end, this was her decision. Not his.

“Is it worth it?” Bianca asked Zoe.

Zoe nodded. “It is.”

Bianca looked at Percy. “They… they’ve asked me to join the Hunt,” she said carefully.

“If you want me to talk you into or out of that, I won’t,” Percy said, crossing his arms. “It’s your life, Bianca.”

Bianca bit her lip. “What about my brother?”

“He goes to Camp with me and my friends,” Percy explained. “He’ll be safe. We’ll train him. He’ll have friends there.”

“You can see him from time to time,” Artemis assured her. “But like Percy has said, they will take care of him at Camp.”

“Okay,” Bianca said, taking a deep breath. “What do I have to do?”

“Say this,” Zoe told her, “'I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis.'”

“I... I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis.”

“'I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt.'”

Bianca repeated the lines. “That's it?”

Zoe nodded. “If Lady Artemis accepts thy pledge, then it is binding.”

“I accept it,” Artemis said.

The flames in the brazier brightened, casting a silver glow over the room. Bianca looked no different, but she took a deep breath and opened her eyes wide. “I feel... stronger.”

“Welcome, sister,” Zoe said.

“Remember your pledge,” Artemis said. “It is now your life.” She turned to Percy. “I will speak to you now and then we will summon a ride from my brother. He will escort you and my Hunters to camp.

“What?” Zoe blurted out. “But, Artemis, we hate that place. The last time we stayed there—”

“Yes, I know,” Artemis said. “But I'm sure Dionysus will not hold a grudge just because of a little, ah, misunderstanding. It's your right to use Cabin Eight whenever you are in need. Besides, I hear they rebuilt the cabins you burned down.”

Zoe muttered something about foolish campers.

“Zoe, break camp. Show Bianca the ropes,” Artemis intructed.

Zoe nodded and told Bianca to follow her.

“Magnus Chase and Alex Fierro,” Artemis mused. “I hope you know what you are getting yourself into, Percy Jackson.”

“If you don’t trust them either,” Percy grumbled.

Artemis held up a hand. “I do not distrust them. I will find Alex Fierro and I will hunt this monster. I shall bring it back to Olympus by winter solstice. It will be all the proof I need to convince the Council of the Gods of how much danger we are in.” She stood. “You will find that the Camp barriers will have no problem allowing Magnus Chase into Camp.”

“What’s going on?” Percy asked her.

Artemis stared at him, eyes no longer sparkling. “I fear it is more than you or I could understand. Let us pray that I am wrong.”

“Can goddess pray?” Percy asked.

Artemis smiled and left the tent. Percy sat for a moment before following her out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Bianca gets a lot of flack about her decision to join the Hunt, but it's her life and no one except her should be able to decide how she lives her life. I really like what she tells Percy about how after seeing Camp and getting to know Percy, she feels okay leaving Nico there. If she wasn't okay with it, she could always leave the Hunt. Plus, as Percy observes in the book, Bianca seems less burdened. Because whether she knew it or not, Bianca was the sole guardian of Nico for seventy years. That's a long time to be responsible for a sibling. Which is why I didn't try to have Percy talk her out of it. Bianca had to hear both sides and make her own choice.


	4. A Different Arrival to Camp (Magnus)

BY THE TIME APOLLO SHOWED UP, Magnus was a bundle of nerves.

Percy had assured him that Artemis had assured him that Magnus would pass through the Camp’s barriers without a problem. Still, the idea of arriving at a Greek demigod camp in the sun bus at high speeds was not the way Magnus would have liked to test out that assurance. He had heard the horror story that was Thalia Grace’s disastrous landing. It was not his ideal entrance to Camp Half-Blood.

On top of that, Alex was missing and his only hope was the Greek goddess of the hunt, archery, wilderness, forests, the Moon, radiance, maidenhood, and childbirth. Oh yeah. A really great goddess to rely on to save his currently very male friend.

If he remembered what Annabeth had told him about Artemis correctly, the goddess was one of the maiden goddesses that swore off men. She frequently turned men into jackalopes.

So Magnus was not very optimistic that Artemis would bring Alex back safely.

Thalia and Grover didn’t look very happy when Percy returned to the group and told them that the Hunters would be coming to Camp with them.

“Why is this bad?” Magnus asked.

“The last time the Hunters visited camp, it didn’t go well,” Grover explained.

Thalia kicked at the ground. “And Bianca joined them. What did you do, Percy? How could you let her join them?”

Percy held up his hands. “It’s not like it was my choice. Bianca can do whatever she wants to do with her life.”

“Who can blame her?” Grover said. “Eternity with Artemis?” He heaved a big sigh.

Thalia rolled her eyes. “You satyrs. You're all in love with Artemis. Don't you get that she'll never love you back?”

“But she's so... into nature,” Grover swooned.

“You're nuts,” said Thalia.

“Nuts and berries,” Grover said dreamily. “Yeah.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes. “I swear.”

Finally the sky began to lighten. Artemis muttered, “About time. He's so-o-o lazy during the winter.”

Magnus peered into the sky. “We’re waiting for sunrise?”

“For my brother. Yes.”

“Uh, but he doesn’t  _ really _ drive the sun, does he?” Magnus asked. “I mean, we have pictures of the sun in outer space. It’s a star millions of miles away.

“It's not exactly as you think,” Artemis said.

There was a sudden burst of light on the horizon. A blast of warmth.

“Don't look,” Artemis advised. “Not until he parks.”

Magnus averted his eyes along with the other demigods and Hunters. The light and warmth intensified. Then suddenly the light died.

When Magnus looked, he was looking at a bright red convertible Maserati Spyder. His eyes widened and he gapped.

The driver got out, smiling. He looked about seventeen or eighteen with sandy hair and outdoorsy good looks. He was tall and his smile was bright and playful. The Maserati driver wore jeans and loafers and a sleeveless T-shirt.

“Wow,” Thalia muttered. “Apollo is hot.”

“He's the sun god,” Percy said irritably.

“That's not what I meant.”

Magnus stared at Apollo. So  _ this _ was the god Percy and Annabeth had told him about. He had to admit. His cousin and her boyfriend were really underselling Apollo's appearance. Well, the complaints were mostly about the inconvenience of helping the god, but Magnus could have sworn Percy said Apollo was an awkward teen with pimples and flab.

“Little sister!” Apollo called. “What's up? You never call. You never write. I was getting worried!”

Artemis sighed. “I'm fine, Apollo. And I am not your little sister.”

“Hey, I was born first.”

“We're twins! How many millennia do we have to argue—”

“So what's up?” he interrupted. “Got the girls with you, I see. You all need some tips on archery?”

Artemis grit her teeth. “I need a favor. I have some hunting to do, alone. I need you to take my companions to Camp Half-Blood.”

“Sure, sis!” Then he raised his hands in a stop everything gesture. “I feel a haiku coming on.”

The Hunters all groaned.

Apollo cleared his throat and held up one hand dramatically.

“ _ Green grass breaks through snow. _

_ Artemis pleads for my help. _

_ I am so cool. _ ”

He grinned, waiting for applause.

“That last line was only four syllables,” Artemis said.

Apollo frowned. “Was it?”

“Yes. What about I am so big-headed?”

“No, no, that's six syllables. Hmm.” He started muttering to himself.

Zoe turned to them. “Lord Apollo has been going through this haiku phase ever since he visited Japan. ‘Tis not as bad as the time he visited Limerick. If I’d had to hear one more poem that started with,  _ There once was a goddess from Sparta _ -”

“I've got it!” Apollo announced. “ _I am so awesome._ That's five syllables!” He bowed, looking very pleased with himself. “And now, sis. Transportation for the Hunters, you say? Good timing. I was just about ready to roll.”

“These demigods will also need a ride,” Artemis said, pointing to Magnus and the other demigods. “Some of Chiron's campers.”

“No problem!” Apollo checked them out. “Let's see... Thalia, right? I've heard all about you.”

Thalia blushed. “Hi, Lord Apollo.”

“Zeus's girl, yes? Makes you my half sister. Used to be a tree, didn't you? Glad you're back. I hate it when pretty girls turn into trees. Man, I remember one time—”

“Brother,” Artemis said. “You should get going.”

Apollo’s eyes fell on Magnus and they narrowed. “Magnus Chase?”

“Yes, sir,” Magnus nodded. He glanced at Percy and Annabeth and hoped they got his message to please help him out.

“I met your dad once,” Apollo said, expression blank. “He had an annoying sword.”

Magnus swallowed. “That would be him.”

Apollo moved onto Percy who was next to Magnus. His expression didn’t get any nicer. “Percy Jackson?”

“Yeah. I mean... yes, sir.”

In Magnus’ experience, Percy didn’t usually show this much respect to gods. The first time Magnus heard Percy shout insults to the gods, he had been terrified that Percy would explode into nothing by dust and strand Magnus on a ship in the middle of the ocean. Although Alex and Annabeth had been sitting at the docks and might have helped. Well, Annabeth would have helped. Alex being Alex would probably have let Magnus drift about for a while before deciding to help.

Apollo didn’t say anything to Percy.

“Well!” he said at last. “We'd better load up, huh? Ride only goes one way—west. And if you miss it, you miss it.”

“Cool car,” Nico di Angelo said. “Too bad it’s too small for all of us.”

“Oh.” Apollo seemed to notice the problem for the first time. “Well, yeah. I hate to change out of sports-car mode, but I suppose...” He took out his car keys and beeped the security alarm button.  _ Chirp, chirp. _

For a moment, the car glowed brightly again. When the glare died, the Maserati had been replaced by one of those Turtle Top shuttle buses.

“Right,” he said. “Everybody in.”

Zoe ordered the Hunters to start loading. She picked up her camping pack, and Apollo said, “Here, sweetheart. Let me get that.”

Zoe recoiled. Her eyes flashed murderously.

“Brother,” Artemis chided. “You do not help my Hunters. You do not look at, talk to, or flirt with my Hunters. And you do not call them sweetheart.”

Apollo spread his hands. “Sorry. I forgot. Hey, sis, where are you off to, anyway?”

“Hunting,” Artemis said. “It's none of your business.”

“I'll find out. I see all. Know all.”

Artemis snorted. “Just drop them off, Apollo. And no messing around!”

“No, no! I never mess around.”

Artemis rolled her eyes, then looked at her Hunters. “I will see you by winter solstice. Zoe, you are in charge of the Hunters. Do well. Do as I would do.”

Zoe straightened. “Yes, my lady.”

Artemis knelt and touched the ground as if looking for tracks. When she rose, she looked troubled. “So much danger. The beast must be found.” She sprinted toward the woods and melted into the snow and shadows.

Apollo turned and grinned, jangling the car keys on his finger. “So,” he said. “Who wants to drive?”

The Hunters piled into the van. They all crammed into the back. Bianca sat with them, leaving her little brother to hang in the front, but Nico didn't seem to care. He had been ignoring her ever since she returned from her chat with Artemis.

“Can I drive?” Nico asked.

“No. Too young,” Apollo said, looking for a different candidate.

Nico scowled and slouched back in his seat.

“Oo! Oo!” Grover raised his hand.

“Mm, no,” Apollo said. “Too furry.” He focused on Thalia.

“Daughter of Zeus!” he said. “Lord of the sky. Perfect.”

“Oh, no.” Thalia shook her head. “No, thanks.”

“C'mon,” Apollo said. “How old are you?”

Thalia hesitated. “I don't know.”

How she didn’t know her age was a mystery, but then again, Magnus wasn’t exactly sure how old he was supposed to be. Probably around 12 judging by his cousin who looked to be about 14.

Apollo tapped his finger to his lips. “You're fifteen, almost sixteen.”

“How do you know that?”

“Hey, I'm the god of prophecy. I know stuff. You'll turn sixteen in about a week.”

“That's my birthday! December twenty-second.”

“Which means you're old enough now to drive with a learner's permit!”

Thalia shifted her feet nervously. “Uh—”

“I know what you're going to say,” Apollo said. “You don't deserve an honor like driving the sun  chariot.”

“That's not what I was going to say.”

“Don't sweat it! Maine to Long Island is a really short trip, and don't worry about what happened to the last kid I trained. You're Zeus's daughter. He's not going to blast you out of the sky.” Apollo laughed good-naturedly. No one joined him.

“If Thalia doesn’t want to drive, she doesn’t have to drive,” Percy snapped after a few minutes of Thalia trying to protest Apollo’s offer. “So don’t make her do something she doesn’t want to do.”

There it was. That was the Percy Magnus was more familiar with. The one that shouts at gods and tells them what to do.

Apollo was silent. He nodded slowly. “Alright then. I’ll drive.”

The ride to Camp Half-Blood was quiet.

Thalia didn’t seem to know what to make of Percy’s defense of her.

The Hunters appeared to be rethinking their idea of Percy like any guy who would yell at Apollo was okay in their books.

Nico and Annabeth looked utterly confused by everything going on. Nico kept sending suspicious looks at Magnus like he was the reason all these crazy things were happening.

Which, the young boy might have a point. Magnus hadn’t done this before, so maybe it was his fault that everything seemed to be falling to pieces.

Percy was oddly pleased with himself. Based on the story he had told Magnus about Thalia crash-landing at Camp, he was probably pretty happy he stopped that from happening.

Finally, Magnus could see what he assumed were the cabins of Camp Half-Blood.

Apollo set the sun bus down for a smooth landing on the beach. When they stepped out, glass shards cracked beneath their feet. The heat from the sun bus had turned some of the sand into glass.

“Here we are,” Apollo announced cheerfully. “Camp Half-Blood.”

Annabeth grinned at Magnus. “I’m so glad you get to see it finally.”

“It’s pretty impressive,” Magnus agreed.

The Greek camp was covered in a light dusting of snow and a layer of frost. The cabins were decorated with tiny flickering lights, like Christmas lights, except they seemed to be balls of real fire. More lights glowed in the woods, and weirdest of all, a fire flickered in the attic window of the Big House.

Magnus glanced over. “Whoa. Is that lava?”

“Extra challenge on the climbing wall,” Annabeth explained.

“It’s almost like you guys are the ones who can die and come back,” Magnus muttered.

“Tell Chiron we will be in Cabin Eight,” Zoe said stiffly. “Hunters, follow me.”

“I'll show you the way,” Grover offered.

“We know the way.”

“Oh, really, it's no trouble. It's easy to get lost here, if you don't”—he tripped over a canoe and came up still talking—“like my old daddy goat used to say! Come on!”

Zoe rolled her eyes, but there was no getting rid of Grover. The Hunters shouldered their packs and their bows and headed off toward the cabins. As Bianca di Angelo was leaving, she leaned over and whispered something in her brother’s ear. She looked at him for an answer, but Nico just scowled and turned away.

“Take care, sweethearts!” Apollo called after the Hunters. He winked at Percy. “Watch out for those prophecies, Percy. I'll see you soon.”

“What do you mean?” Percy demanded.

Instead of answering, Apollo hopped back in the bus. “Later, Thalia,” he called. “And, uh, be good!” He gave her a wicked smile, as if he knew something she didn't. Then he closed the doors and revved the engine. They turned aside as the sun chariot took off in a blast of heat. When they looked back, the lake was steaming. A red Maserati soared over the woods, glowing brighter and climbing higher until it disappeared in a ray of sunlight.

“Come on, Magnus,” Annabeth said. “Nico, you too. We should introduce you to Chiron.”

“He’s our activities director,” Percy explained. “He’s… well, you’ll see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, fun fact. I didn't read Magnus Chase until after Trials of Apollo. So as I'm going back and scrolling through all the PDFs of all Rick's books I come across that line about Apollo and some hot guy with an annoying talking sword. So... it took me until very recently like a few months ago to actually understand that reference. Also... I have now read the Kane Chronicles and I found all the Percy Jackson references.
> 
> So... yeah. Anyway, thought I'd have Apollo mention that here.
> 
> Sorry if this is starting out pretty slow and boring since not much has actually changed yet.


	5. Everyone Meet Baby Cousin Magnus (Magnus)

FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS Percy and Annabeth said about their Camp, Magnus found it was kind of a let down.

Sure, the camp was beautiful and homey, but it was very empty. Annabeth had said that not many half-bloods trained in the winter, but there weren't very many year-rounders as she had said there were.

There was a guy stoking the forge, two guys who looked like twins picking the lock on the camp store, a few kids having a snowball fight at the edge of the forest, but that was it.

“Annabeth?”

She looked at Magnus with a sad look. “It hasn’t been a very good year. Years. Not since Luke-” she cut off.

The Big House was decorated with strings of red and yellow fireballs that warmed the porch but didn't seem to catch anything on fire. Inside, flames crackled in the hearth. The air smelled like hot chocolate. Two men played a quiet game of cards in the parlor.

“Percy! Thalia! Annabeth!” one of the men, the one on the wheelchair, said with a smile. “Ah, and this must be-”

“Chiron, this is Nico di Angelo,” Percy said. “He and his sister are half-bloods.”

The man, Chiron, breathed a sigh of relief. “You succeeded then.” His eyes fell on Magnus. “Who is this?”

“My cousin,” Annabeth said defensively. “Magnus Chase.”

The other man turned to look at Magnus. His eyes narrowed. “Why is he here?”

“Dionysus,” Percy muttered under his breath. “Mr. D.”

“I brought him,” Annabeth said, voice quivering. “He knows about me and my mom and everything. He can be trusted.”

“You let him into the Camp?” Mr. D asked.

Annabeth glanced at Percy.

“Apollo and Artemis did,” Percy said quickly. “Artemis told me there would be no problem getting him into Camp.”

Just then, Grover trotted into the room, grinning like crazy. He had a black eye and red lines on his face that looked like a slap mark. “The Hunters are all moved in!”

Chiron frowned. “The Hunters, eh? I see we have much to talk about.” He glanced at Nico. “Grover, perhaps you should take our young friend to the den and show him our orientation film.”

“But... Oh, right. Yes, sir.”

“I do not need to see an orientation film,” Nico said, looking panicked. “I’ll pass. Gods are real and we fight monsters. Got it.”

“Well then,” Chiron said, sounding confused. “Grover, would you show Nico to the Hermes cabin then?”

“Sure thing,” Grover nodded. “Come on, Nico.”

Nico deflated and followed Grover out of the room.

“Now,” Chiron said to Percy, Thalia, and Annabeth, “perhaps you should sit down and tell us the whole story.”

Thalia told most of the story with Annabeth and Percy chiming in to add something, but for the most part, they two stayed silent. Finally, they got to the part about Alex.

“We need to find him,” Magnus said, looking at Chiron. “I’m sorry, but I do not trust a maiden goddess to find him.”

“We will find Alex,” Annabeth assured Magnus. “We can consult the Oracle tomorrow morning and send out a quest by the afternoon.”

Mr. D sniffed. “Certainly not!” His eyes seemed to burrow holes into Magnus. “One of you is bad enough. You shouldn’t even be here.”

“I agree,” Thalia said, “but, Mr. D, it’s obvious that Alex isn’t completely mortal. He was an owl. A shapeshifter.”

Chiron nodded slowly. “Perhaps a descendant of Periclymenus. He had the ability to shapeshift.”

Magnus could have sworn he heard Percy and Annabeth snort, but it was so soft he thought he was imagining it.

“In any case,” Chiron continued. “I must agree with Annabeth partially. Alex will be found. Artemis does not hide her disdain of men, but if she promised to search for your friend, she will honor that promise. We will wait until we get word from Artemis.”

Magnus slumped back into his chair. “Of course.”

“Thalia,” Chiron said, “go down to the cabins. Inform the campers we’ll be playing capture the flag tomorrow evening. Percy and Annabeth, please show young Magnus around Camp. I suppose we will put him in the Hermes cabin alongside Nico.”

“He could stay with me,” Annabeth offered. “We are cousins.”

Chiron nodded. “That is fine as well.”

They left the Big House.

Thalia looked at Magnus. “Look. I don’t hate you or your friend. But I don’t know you.”

“I get it,” Magnus said quietly. “Alex and I showed up out of nowhere. Anyway, I should get going on this tour of the camp,” he said.

“Yeah,” Thalia nodded. She looked at Annabeth and Percy. “I’ll see you around.” She headed off to go inform everyone about the game.

“We will get Alex back,” Percy promised Magnus. “We got Annabeth back and Alex is probably in the same place Annabeth was.”

“Alex will be back by the Winter Solstice,” Annabeth added.

They showed Magnus around the camp, pointing out the various cabins and even showing him the inside of the Athena and Poseidon cabins in particular.

Percy dropped off his damaged shield in Cabin Three.

“I’ll have to get Tyson to fix it,” he sighed. “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to do that.” He sighed again. “Come on, Magnus. Let’s go to dinner.”

* * *

The food at Camp Half-Blood was pretty good. Not as good as Fadlan’s Falafels, Magnus decided, but almost as good.

There was barbecue and pizza and never-empty goblets of whatever beverage a demigod could dream of.

Annabeth and Magnus were the only two at the Athena table. Percy and Thalia were by themselves at the Poseidon and Zeus table respectively. There were a few Hephaestus, Ares, and Apollo kids each and at the Hermes table were the two boys from earlier that were trying to break into the Camp Store.

Nico di Angelo was sitting at the table with them, but he looked like he’d rather be anywhere but there at the moment. The two brothers seemed to be attempting to talk to Nico, but he was blatantly ignoring them.

The only table that really seemed to be having a good time was the Artemis table. The Hunters drank and ate and laughed like one big happy family.

Zoe sat at the head like she was the mama. She didn't laugh as much as the others, but she did smile from time to time. Her silver lieutenant's band glittered in the dark braids of her hair.

Bianca di Angelo seemed to be having a great time. She was trying to learn how to arm wrestle from a big girl. The bigger girl was beating her every time, but Bianca didn't seem to mind.

Chiron stood as everyone finished eating.

“A toast to the gods,” he said, “and let us welcome the Hunters of Artemis to camp.”

Magnus clapped alongside everyone else, but his claps were slow and short. There wasn’t much enthusiasm in anyone else’s claps either.

“Tomorrow night we will be having a good will capture-the-flag game,” Chiron continued, only to be interrupted by a thunder of applause. The game caused by the arrival of the Hunters got a lot better reception than the actual arrival of the Hunters.

“And we would also like to welcome our newest camper Nico di Angelo,” Chiron said.

Nico scowled at the table in front of him.

There was a loud clapping coming from somewhere, but Magnus couldn’t identify the source. It wasn’t Percy or Annabeth he knew that for sure.

“As well as our visitor Magnus Chase,” Chiron said, gesturing to the Athena table.

“My cousin,” Annabeth explained loudly. “My baby cousin.”

Mangus groaned. “Annabeth!”

She laughed.

* * *

After dinner, Annabeth and Magnus headed back to the Athena cabin for lights out.

Annabeth pointed to the bed next to hers. “You can take this one. My sister won’t be back until summer. She lives in Montana, so she doesn’t make random visits.”

“Must be nice to have a camp you can go to without dying,” Magnus mumbled as he slipped into the offered bed.

Annabeth hummed. “We aren’t free of dying here, Magnus. We train, we go out and fight, we come back. Keep doing that until we die. And with the Titan war approaching us… we _are_ going to lose people. Good people. I just hope I can save as many lives as I can.”

“You will,” Magnus assured her. “You’re a hero. You and Percy. If anyone can do this, it’s you two.”

Annabeth shot him a grateful look. “Thanks, Magnus. Lights out.”

The cabin went dark and Magnus slipped into his dreams immediately.

* * *

The first thing he noticed? No Loki. Wasn’t that a change of pace? A welcomed one though.

The second thing he noticed? Alex.

Alex was on a dark hillside, shrouded in fog. Magnus couldn’t see the sky above - just a close, heavy darkness, as if he was in a cave.

Alex struggled up the hill, garrote wire in hand. Old broken columns of black marble were scattered around, as though something had blasted a huge building to ruins.

_Alex!_ Magnus shouted, but his voice didn’t work. _Alex!_

“Where are you?” Alex muttered quietly, glancing around warily. “Where am I?”

Finally, Alex reached the crest of the hill and gasped.

A blonde haired man was crumpled on the rocky ground, trying to rise. The blackness seemed to be thicker around him, fog swirling hungrily. His clothes were in tatters and his face was scratched and drenched with sweat.

“Help me!” he called. “Please!”

Alex glanced around suspiciously before heading towards the man. “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

“He tricked me,” the man gasped. “You have to help me.”

Alex’s eyes flared in anger as soon as the man said _tricked_. “What happened?”

“He left me here,” the man groaned. “Please. It’s killing me.”

Magnus had no idea what was going on. He thought that this _he_ this man was referring to was Loki, but something seemed wrong with that.

The darkness above the man began to crumble, like a cavern roof in an earthquake. Huge chunks of black rock began falling. Alex rushed in just as a crack appeared, and the whole ceiling dropped.

“I’ll help you,” Alex told the man. “My friends will be looking for me. They can save us.”

The man rolled free, gasping. “Thanks,” he managed.

Alex’s face turned hard. “You. You _wanted_ me to do this,” he said.

Above Alex, the darkness threatened to crush him.

“Help me!” Alex yelled through gritted teeth.

The man grinned. “Oh don’t worry. Your help is on the way. It’s all part of the plan.” He paused and shrugged. “Well, improvised plan. It should have been Thalia or even Annabeth, I would have prefered to use a girl to draw out the goddess-”

“I’ll show you girl,” Alex glared.

“-but you’ll do fine, I suppose,” the man continued. “In the meantime, try not to die.”

The ceiling of darkness began to crumble again, pushing Alex against the ground.

* * *

Magnus sat bolt upright in bed, clawing at the sheets. He glanced over at Annabeth who was sleeping peacefully.

He exhaled slowly and glanced at the clock. It read just after midnight.

_Only a dream_ , he chanted in his head. _Only a dream_.

But it couldn’t be just a dream. Demigods rarely got dreams that _were_ just dreams. Which meant two things. Alex was in terrible danger. And it seemed like Loki was responsible.

It seemed impossible, but Loki had the power to project his form away from his prison. He had done it to reach Sam’s mom and Alex’s dad plus the numerous times he had met with Magnus’ Uncle Randolph.

Magnus laid back down and stared at the ceiling of the Athena cabin. There was no way he could fall asleep after this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it actually Loki? I don't know yet. But keep in mind that he's pretty much the only big bad Magnus and Alex have had to go up against.
> 
> Also... anyone else want them to make Apollo's orientation film at some point during the Disney+ series? I dunno, I think it would be funny to watch. I would watch it. Anyone else?


	6. A Prophecy is Issued and it's Kind of an Issue (Percy)

PERCY DIDN’T DREAM ABOUT LUKE tricking anyone into taking the sky from him. In fact, he didn’t dream about Mount Tam at all.

For once in his life, he had a great night’s sleep with no strange or terrifying demigod dreams. So naturally, when Magnus came to him with Annabeth and told him about his dream of Alex helping a blonde haired man, Percy groaned.

“So that was Luke,” he explained, not very patiently. “And he just tricked Alex into taking the weight of the sky.”

Magnus blinked. “Um. What?”

“You remember I told you about the myth of Atlas?” Annabeth asked. “Well, basically Atlas is a Titan and he holds the sky away from the Earth. If the two were to ever meet, that would be bad. So Atlas keeps them separated. But it’s not very fun and sometimes Atlas tries to get free. Luke took the burden from Atlas and they tricked Alex into taking it from Luke.”

“The guy, Luke,” Magnus said, “kept saying  _ he tricked me _ . I think Alex thought Luke was talking about Loki.”

Annabeth took a breath. “This isn’t good, but it isn’t necessarily bad. We know where Alex is for sure now. Artemis will be there to take the burden soon and she can last a lot longer than Alex since she’s a goddess.” Annabeth sent Magnus a quizzical look. “I don’t think either of you are einherjar anymore. So Alex doesn’t have that extra strength to help.”

“We know Zoe has a dream about Artemis,” Percy said. “Grover told me about it earlier this morning. Artemis in trouble, needing the Hunters, blah, blah, blah. We already know all that. Artemis has definitely been kidnapped.”

“We need a prophecy,” Annabeth said worriedly.

“In the meantime, you can learn how to fight  _ without _ a talking sword,” Percy informed Magnus.

Magnus didn’t look too impressed. “Oh whoopee.”

Percy and Annabeth spent the morning trying to teach Magnus how to throw javelins, how to shoot a bow and arrow, and how to sword fight.

Annabeth blew both of the boys out of the water during javelin-throwing class as well as archery class. Percy naturally excelled in sword fighting. Magnus managed to do fairly well in archery, but nowhere near as good as Apollo’s kids.

“I think I’m just better with healing than anything with a weapon,” Magnus decided. “You guys aren’t the first to try and help me learn how to fight.”

Will Solace overheard this and looked pleased for some reason. It confused Percy for a moment until he remembered that Will was also not a fighter, prefering to stick to Apollo’s medical talents rather than anything else.

“Can we get the prophecy now?” Magnus asked while the three took a break.

Annabeth glanced at the Big House. “No. I don’t even know if there  _ will _ be a prophecy for us. That’s not exactly how it works. If a prophecy doesn’t apply to you, then the Oracle can’t give you one.”

“Yeah,” Percy agreed. “Otherwise I would have gotten that prophecy instead of Zoe. I mean, it was about me, partially at least, but I wasn’t supposed to lead it.”

Magnus took a deep breath. “Alright. Fine. I’ll wait.”

Percy patted his shoulder sympathetically. “That’s the spirit.”

It was somewhat of a consolation to Percy that Annabeth wasn’t missing. Of course, he felt bad for Magnus and definitely was empathetic to his situation having been there himself, but he didn’t feel the panic or anger he had when Annabeth had been kidnapped. Instead, he could think clearly and focus on the task at hand.

That task being the Hunters vs. Campers capture-the-flag game. Luckily for him, Annabeth would be in charge.

Percy took in the members of the Camper team. Himself; Thalia; Annabeth; Lee, Michael, Will, and three others from Apollo; Travis and Connor, Laurel, Nico, and one other from Hermes; Beckendorf and two others from Hephaestus; Silena and Jason from Aphrodite; Sherman and Ellis from Ares; and Magnus who was tentatively allowed to join.

“I'll show them 'love is worthless,'” Silena Beauregard grumbled as she strapped on her armor. “I'll pulverize them!”

Magnus strapped on his armor awkwardly. “I’m going to die.”

“No you won’t,” Annabeth rolled her eyes. “If you do, then what are we supposed to tell Alex?”

“ _ Alex _ is going to kill me,” Magnus groaned. “I’ll get beheaded.  _ Again _ .”

Percy patted him. “Hey, it’s cool. Just follow the team. Annabeth’s good with strategy. Stay out of Zoe’s way. We’ll have a blast. First time you’re fighting without it being to the death, right?”

Magnus didn’t look impressed. “First time fighting without being able to not die. Permanently that is.”

Chiron's hoof thundered on the pavilion floor.

“Heroes!” he called. “You know the rules! The creek is the boundary line. Blue team—Camp Half-Blood—shall take the west woods. Hunters of Artemis—red team—shall take the east woods. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. No intentional maiming, please! All magic items are allowed. To your positions!”

“Why are we blue team?” Magnus complained.

“Because I requested it,” Percy said cheerfully. “Off we go!”

“Blue team,” Annabeth called. “Follow me!”

They grouped at Zeus’s Fist which made Percy a little nervous, but Thalia had insisted on this being the spot and Annabeth hadn’t been able to offer up a convincing argument why not.

“Beckendorf, Jake, Nyssa, Stolls, Magnus,” Annabeth said, looking at them. “You guys are on guard duty. Keep my cousin alive, would ya?” she asked, winking at Beckendorf.

Beckendorf grinned. “Will do, Annabeth.”

Magnus groaned and walked off to join Beckendorf, Jake, Nyssa, Travis, and Connor.

“Decoy to the left will be led by Silena,” Annabeth continued. “Laurel, Jason, and Cecil. You three go with her. Lee, take your cabin wide right. Hit them with everything you’ve got. Push the Hunters left. Sherman and Ellis, Thalia is going to lead you guys up the middle. Try and draw everyone to the left. I want Apollo cabin keeping them there.” Annabeth faltered, seeing who was left. “Ah, Nico, um-”

“I’ll go with you and Percy,” Nico said. He raised an eyebrow as if daring her to argue. “Right?”

Annabeth seemed to be contemplating it. “Yeah, okay. The three of us will follow Thalia’s group at a delay.” She looked around. “Does everyone understand their job?”

“Got it!” Everybody nodded.

They broke into their small groups as the horn sounded and the game began.

Silena’s group disappeared into the woods on the left. Lee’s group disappeared off to the right. Thalia’s group charged up the middle.

Percy, Annabeth, and Nico hung around the flag with Beckendorf, Magnus, and the others.

“Don’t die,” Annabeth said to Magnus. “You’re not allowed to die until you turn sixteen.”

Beckendorf gave her an odd look, but didn’t say anything.

“Come on,” Magnus grinned. “You think Alex would let me get away with dying so soon?” He gestured for her to go. “Go win the game for us.”

Annabeth nodded and then she, Percy, and Nico took off. They veered to the right slightly in the hopes of keeping away from the Hunters who by now would be busy fending off Thalia’s and Silena’s groups.

They made it to the Hunter’s flag no problem. Annabeth pulled Percy and Nico behind some bushes. There was one guard.

“Percy, I’m going to run in and grab the flag,” Annabeth whispered. “Stay here and be ready. I’m throwing it to you.” She picked up a small rock.

Percy grinned. “Annabeth. I love you.”

Annabeth turned a light pink. “Shut up, Seaweed Brain. Nico, be ready for… anything. Just run with Percy. Hand the flag off to each other if you have to.” She jumped up and charged the guard.

Bianca di Angelo went sprawling in the snow.

Annabeth ripped the silver flag from the tree, wrapped it around the rock, and tossed it to Percy who caught it and took off running.

Bianca shouted for help as they fled.

Percy heard it before he saw it. The  _ ZIP _ of the Hunters’ arrows whistled from somewhere behind him. He prepared to roll out of the way when another sound came from behind him.

_ PING! CLATTER! _

Percy looked back over his shoulder to see a large rock had erupted in the path of the arrow. Nico glanced between the rock and Percy with a semi-frightened expression. Then his eyes widened.

“Look!”

Zoe Nightshade was racing towards the creek with the camper’s flag in her hands.

“Percy, the flag!” Annabeth yelled, holding out her hands.

Percy tossed the flag still tied around the rock to Annabeth and then he raised his hands. A wall of water erupted out of the creek and washed over Zoe, pushing her far back away from the creek.

Annabeth gracefully sprinted across the creek, flag in hand.

“Did we win?” Percy blinked.

Annabeth let out a laugh. “I think so.”

The Hunters made their way to meet at the creek in silence. Chiron appeared out of the woods looking surprised. The Stoll brothers were on his back looking rather worse for the wear. Connor had two arrows sticking out of his helmet like antennae.

“The Campers win!” Chiron announced with pleasure.

Zoe stood up and looked at Annabeth. “This was your plan?”

“Drive you to the left side and send another group to get the flag?” Annabeth asked. “Yeah, that was my plan. Athena-”

“-always has a plan,” Percy finished. “We know, Wise Girl.” He held out a hand for a high-five which Annabeth gladly acknowledged.

“You would do well in the Hunters,” Zoe finally admitted.

“Thanks, but no thanks,” Annabeth said with a small glance at Percy. “It’s not my thing.”

Thalia appeared at Annabeth’s side. “Good plan.”

“So what do you do to celebrate this type of thing?” Magnus asked, breaking the silence.

Annabeth opened her mouth to respond, but gasped instead.

Everyone turned to look at what she saw.

Someone... something was approaching. It was shrouded in a murky green mist, but as it got closer, the campers and Hunters gasped.

“This is impossible,” Chiron said. “It... she has never left the attic. Never.”

And yet, the withered mummy that held the Oracle shuffled forward until she stood in the center of the group. Mist curled around the forest floor, turning the snow a sickly shade of green.

No one dared move.

Magnus glanced at Percy and Annabeth uncertainly.

Then a voice hissed in everyone’s head.

_ I am the sprit of Delphi _ , the voice said.  _ Speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python _ .

The Oracle turned unmistakably toward Percy.

Percy’s heart beat rapidly in his chest.

_ Approach, Seeker, and ask. _

He swallowed. “Um, how do we save Alex and Artemis?”

The Oracle's mouth opened, and green mist poured out. An image of a mountain, and a girl standing at the barren peak. It was Artemis, but she was wrapped in chains, fettered to the rocks. She was kneeling, her hands raised as if to fend off an attacker, and it looked like she was in pain. The Oracle spoke:

_ To go west and save the goddess in chains, _

_ Eight shall go through trials and pains. _

_ Against all odds he knows the way, _

_ To the Titan’s curse he must pay. _

_ One shall perish by a parent’s hand, _

_ And one shall rise up to the stand. _

_ The son of summer’s sword he must find, _

_ With ghost kind’s aid to save you time. _

_ Do not despair, again she’ll reign, _

_ One shall be lost in the land without rain. _

_ The bane of Olympus’ life to save, _

_ And start your journey to preserve or raze. _

Then, the mist swirled and retreated like a green serpent into the mummy’s mouth. The Oracle sat down on a rock and became as still as if she’d never moved.

Chiron looked vaguely disturbed while Zoe looked beyond angry. She started to protest, but Chiron held up a hand.

“Counselors, please head to the rec room,” Chiron said above the noise. “Ah, Kayla and Austin, if you would please transport the Oracle back to the attic. Thank you.”

Magnus hurried over to Annabeth and Percy. “Was that…?”

“A prophecy,” Percy said numbly. “I don’t understand why I got it though. It should be Zoe or even you.” His mind was reeling with the new prophecy.

Why had the Oracle chosen him? What set Percy apart from Magnus or Zoe who had reason to go on this quest?

And then the answer hit him because he knew exactly why.

There were only a few people who knew who the prophecy wanted to go on the quest. And Percy was one of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love that line. "Stay out of Zoe's way. We'll have a blast." I just had to keep it in here.
> 
> Yes, the prophecy change. Of course it did. This time they're trying to save Alex and Artemis. And am I aware that reign and rain sound exactly the same? Yes. But they rhyme. So it works.
> 
> Who can guess all eight members correctly? Bragging rights to you if you can.


	7. Four Players Enter the Playing Field (Percy)

THE COUNCIL WAS HELD AROUND a Ping-Pong table in the rec room.

Dionysus waved his hand and supplied snacks: Cheez Whiz, crackers, and several bottles of red wine. Then Chiron reminded him that wine was against his restrictions and most of the campers were underage. Mr. D sighed. With a snap of his fingers the wine turned to Diet Coke.

Nobody drank that either.

Mr. D and Chiron (in wheelchair form) sat at one end of the table. Zoe and Bianca took the other end. Thalia, Grover, Percy, Annabeth, and Magnus sat along the right. Beckendorf, Silena, Travis and Connor, and Lee sat on the left.

“This is completely wrong!” Zoe started off the meeting. “If the quest is to save Artemis, why was it not issued to one of us Hunters? Why is it that boy’s quest?” she asked, pointed to Percy. “And what is _he_ doing here?” she asked, glaring at Magnus. “It’s his fault the goddess is missing. She went after his friend.”

“I’m here because of Alex!” Magnus snapped.

“Enough!” Chiron yelled. He fixed his gaze on Percy. “The prophecy is clear. Percy, you will lead the quest to save Artemis _and_ Alex. It says eight of you will go west. Who will you take?”

Percy stared at the table. “I think it says who I’ll take in the prophecy.” He turned to Zoe. “You’re right. This is Artemis and a Hunter deserves to be part of this. If you’ll come, I could use your help.”

Zoe pursed her lips. “I do not like traveling with men. And I am not sure I should go.” Her eyes flickered down. She took a deep breath. “I will go with you, Percy Jackson.”

Percy didn’t know whether to be happy that Zoe Nightshade would be helping him or worried because Zoe Nightshade was going on this quest.

“I’ll need Magnus too,” he said. “We _are_ going to find Alex and better you get garrotted than me.”

Magnus rolled his eyes, but he looked happy.

“And Annabeth, Grover, and Thalia of course,” Percy added. “What would I do without you guys?”

“That’s six,” Silena said. “Percy, Zoe, Magnus, Annabeth, Grover, Thalia, and two more.”

“Another Hunter,” Zoe suggested.

Percy looked at Annabeth. “ _With ghost king’s aid to save you time_. We need the ghost king.”

“Who’s the ghost king?” Lee asked in confusion. “For that matter, who’s the son of summer?”

“Me,” Magnus answered. “My dad is the god of summer.”

“Notus?” Thalia asked. She raised her eyebrows. “So you’re Annabeth’s cousin who just so happens to show up with a shapeshifting friend and you just happen to also be a demigod?”

Magnus shrugged. “Guess so. But no. Notus isn’t my dad.”

Annabeth sent him a sharp look. “As for the ghost king-"

The room was bathed in purple light.

Percy stared at Bianca di Angelo along with everyone else.

“Well that’s a new one,” he said.

Floating above Bianca’s head was a black glyph like a cross with curved arms and a head. Percy had only seen that glyph in one other place and that was branded on the arm of a girl he knew.

“What is that?” Bianca stammered.

Chiron and Mr. D exchanged looks. Some of the campers had regained the ability to move and were leaning back in their seats in shock.

“You’ve been claimed,” Annabeth said in genuine surprise. “Your… dad claimed you.”

“My dad?” Bianca repeated. “Who’s my dad?”

“Hail, Bianca di Angelo,” Chiron said, sounding like he was presiding over a funeral. “Daughter of Hades, god of the Underworld, the dead, and the riches of the Earth.”

“Oh goodie,” Mr. D said. “Another demigod to destroy Olympus.”

Bianca looked shell-shocked. Not even Zoe knew what to make of this.

“The… the, uh, the ghost king then,” Annabeth said, attempting to continue the conversation. “I guess that would be Nico.”

Bianca suddenly snapped to alert. “Nico? No way. You are not sending my little brother on a quest.”

“Chiron!” Will Solace’s voice interrupted as the door to the Big House burst open. He had a semi-embarrassed Nico di Angelo behind him. “Chiron! I think Nico just got claimed!”

“Nico!” Bianca said, jumping up and rushing over to her brother.

“I’m fine,” Nico grumbled. “It didn’t hurt, Bianca.”

Bianca looked at Percy. “If you’re taking my brother on this quest, then I want to go too. You still have two open spots. Nico and I fill them.”

Nico choked. “What?”

“They think you’re this _ghost king_ the prophecy talks about,” Bianca explained.

“Ghost king,” Will said, looking interested. “What’s going on?”

“I’ll tell you when I get back, Will,” Lee said. “Just… go wait in the cabin or something.”

Will didn’t look very happy with his dismissal, but he left the Big House without another word.

“It’s settled then,” Chiron said. “Percy, Zoe, Magnus, Annabeth, Grover, Thalia, Bianca, and Nico will go on the quest. You must not delay. Today is Sunday. This very Friday, December twenty-first, is the winter solstice.”

“Oh, joy,” Mr. D muttered. “Another dull annual meeting.”

Zoe had managed to get over the shock of Bianca’s claiming. “Artemis must be present at the solstice,” she said. “She has been one of the most vocal on the council arguing for action against Kronos’ minions. If she is absent, the gods will decide nothing. We will lose another year of war preparations.”

“Are you suggesting that the gods have trouble acting together, young lady?” Dionysus asked.

“Yes, Lord Dionysus.”

Mr. D nodded. “Just checking. You’re right, of course. Carry on.”

“I must agree with Zoe,” said Chiron. “Artemis’ presence at the winter council is critical. We have only a week to find her. And possibly even more important: to locate the monster she was hunting.”

Zoe picked up a ping-pong paddle and studied it like she was deciding who she wanted to whack first. “This monster - the bane of Olympus. I have hunted at Lady Artemis’ side for many years, yet I have no idea what this beast might be or why we must save it’s life.”

“It sounds like you’ll save it’s life at the beginning of the quest,” Silena said. “ _Bane of Olympus’ life to save / And start your journey to preserve or raze_.”

Annabeth and Chiron exchanged a look.

“It may refer to the Great Prophecy,” Annabeth said carefully at Chiron’s reluctant nod. “I’ve heard it, and it sounds like one of the lines. _Olympus to preserve or raze_.”

Thalia looked at Percy. “One of us.”

“Or Bianca or Nico,” Travis said, glancing at the di Angelo siblings nervously. “It’s four kids of the Big Three in the playing field now. Whichever one of you lives the longest.”

“Assuming I don’t die on this quest,” Thalia said matter-of-factly, “I turn sixteen soon. Bianca is now immortal, so it can’t possibly be her. She won’t be sixteen.”

Percy decided to interrupt. “Great Prophecy. So I think it might be kinda important to know what that is since the last line of this prophecy seems to refer to it.”

Even Thalia and the other counselors looked interested. Chiron and Annabeth exchanged a look.

“Don’t worry about it,” Annabeth finally said. “I know it. If it comes to it, I’ll tell you, but right now, none of you need that hanging over your head.”

“Chiron,” Percy said, “you don't have any ideas about the monster?”

Chiron pursed his lips. “I have several ideas, none of them good. And none of them quite make sense. Typhon, for instance, could fit this description. He was truly a bane of Olympus. Or the sea monster Keto.”

Percy scowled at the table.

“But if either of these were stirring, we would know it. They are ocean monsters the size of skyscrapers. Your father, Poseidon, would already have sounded the alarm. I fear this monster may be more elusive. Perhaps even more powerful.”

“That's some serious danger you're facing,” Connor said. “It sounds like at least two of the eight are going to die.”

“ _One shall be lost in the land without rain,_ ” Beckendorf said. “If I were you, I'd stay out of the desert.”

There was a muttering of agreement.

“ _Against all odds he knows the way / To the Titan’s curse he must pay_ ,” Silena said. “What could that mean?”

Chiron and Zoe exchanged a nervous look, but they didn’t share anything.

“ _One shall perish by a parent's hand_ ,” Grover said in between bites of Cheez Whiz and Ping-Pong balls. “How is that possible? Whose parent would kill them?”

Percy tried not to let his eyes wander to Zoe. He hadn’t wanted to put her in this position, and he knew she definitely understood that line. So he had given her the choice to turn him down, but it seemed that Zoe was destined to go on this quest.

He didn’t like it one bit. Zoe, Thalia, Bianca, Grover, and him were still part of the quest. Sure, Annabeth, Magnus, and Nico were coming too, but Percy had a bad feeling about this.

“There will be deaths,” Chiron decided. “That much we know.”

“Oh, goody!” Dionysus said.

Everyone looked at him. He glanced up innocently from the pages of Wine Connoisseur magazine.

“Ah, pinot noir is making a comeback. Don't mind me.”

Chiron gave him a disapproving look, but Mr. D had already turned back to his magazine. He sighed and concluded the council.

“So be it,” he said. “We have our eight members. You shall leave at first light. And may the gods” -he glanced at Dionysus- “present company included, we hope - be with you.”

* * *

Dinner was tense.

Bianca had no issues at Artemis’ table. The Hunters were made up of demigods, mortals, nymphs, and more. A scandalous daughter of Hades was the least strangest by their standards.

Nico on the other hand sat at one end of the Hermes table, away from Connor, Travis, and Cecil. He sat so he could clearly see the whole dining pavilion and his back wasn’t facing anyone.

After the shocking revelation that Hades had two children, most of the campers had no idea what to think. Even Percy had to admit that having the Oracle walk out to deliver a prophecy after their capture-the-flag game and then hours later for Hades to claim not one but two kids who had arrived only the day before was probably not a good omen.

* * *

When he got back to his cabin, Percy stood before the new saltwater spring his dad had sent. He picked up a drachma from the base of the spring and turned it over in his hands.

Finally, he took a deep breath and threw in the coin. “O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, accept my offering.”

Briefly, he wondered if he should have asked for Fleecy, but maybe that wasn’t the best idea. Not now anyway.

The mist shimmered and the coin disappeared.

“Show me Sally Jackson,” Percy said. “Upper East Side, Manhattan.”

In the mist the scene formed.

“Thank you for coming by, Paul,” his mom was saying.

Percy gave a small smile as he recognized the man Sally was saying goodbye to at the door.

“Thank _you_ for having me,” Paul said. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”

“Of course,” Sally nodded. She closed the door behind Paul and turned around. She jumped when she saw Percy’s Iris Message. “Percy!”

“Hi, mom,” Percy said.

“What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

Percy glanced at the door. “What was that?”

She blinked. “Oh, honey, that's just Paul—um, Mr. Blofis. He's in my writing seminar.”

“Mr. Blowfish?”

“Blofis,” Sally corrected. “Now. Tell me what's wrong.”

“We ran into Annabeth’s cousin Magnus and his friend,” Percy explained. “Magnus’ friend was kidnapped by monsters. Artemis, like the goddess, was going to go hunt the monsters, but now she’s in trouble.”

Sally exhaled. “You’re going on a quest to save them.”

“Yeah,” Percy said. “I am.”

“Okay,” Sally sighed. “Oh, Percy. As much as I want you to come home and be safe, I know you’ll always do what you have to do. Please try to stay safe though?”

Percy grinned. “I will. I have Annabeth to keep me out of too much trouble, right?”

“That you do,” Sally agreed. “Now, go to sleep. If you’re going on a quest in the morning, you need to be well rested.”

“Okay,” Percy nodded. “Bye, mom. I’ll call when I get back. Promise.”

The message shimmered and faded.

Percy let out a breath and flopped onto his bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo... kudos to everyone who guessed the correct people to go on the quest.
> 
> As for Bianca and Nico being claimed, they're the only two in the books that never actually get claimed. Like Jason wasn't claimed in the time the books take place, he just showed his power as a son of Jupiter, but he WAS claimed at Camp Jupiter when he was younger. But neither di Angelo child was claimed so I'm writing them to be claimed. I used the glyph Hazel has branded on her arm.


	8. The Quest Begins (Magnus)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, yeah. I'm updating early in the day. 3:50 pm ish. I got bored, so... here ya go. Happy early birthday or belated birthday or whatever. Merry Christmas, Happy Halloween, Happy Easter, Happy Fourth of July, etc. OH!!! Happy early father's day! Closest holiday.
> 
> And I'm rambling, so here's the chapter.

IN HIS DREAM, MAGNUS WAS BACK in the barren cave, the ceiling heavy and low above him.

Alex was kneeling under the weight of a dark mass that looked like a pile of boulders. She - because Alex was definitely a she now - gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut trying not to crumble under the weight. Her legs trembled. Any second now, she would run out of strength and the cavern ceiling would collapse on top of her.

“How is our mortal guest?” a male voice boomed. It was deep and low, like a bass guitar. Its force made the ground vibrate.

The blonde haired man, Luke, emerged from the shadows. He studied Alex carefully. “He is fading. We must hurry.”

Alex’s eyes popped open. She mustered up the energy to glare at Luke. “It’s she you meinfretr! You just wait until I get out from under this.” But it sounded pretty weak.

Luke blinked like he wasn’t expecting to be yelled at today by someone in a lot of pain. Clearly, he never met anyone like Alex before.

The deep voice chuckled.

Then a meaty hand thrust someone forward into the light - Artemis - he hands and feet bound in bronze chains. Her silvery dress was torn and tattered. Her face and arms were cut in several places.

“You heard the boy,” said the voice. “Decide!”

Artemis’ eyes flashed with anger. She looked at Alex and her expression changed to concern and outrage. “How dare you torture a maiden like this!”

Alex made a strange noise like surprise.

“ _She_ will die soon,” Luke said, eyes flitting to Alex as he said this. “You can save her.”

“Don’t,” Alex grunted.

“Free my hands,” Artemis said.

Luke brought out a sword. With one expert strike, he broke the goddess’ handcuffs.

Artemis ran to Alex and took the burden from her shoulders. Alex collapsed on the ground and lay there shivering. Artemis staggered, trying to support the weight of the black rocks.

The voice chuckled. “You are as predictable as you were easy to beat, Artemis.”

“You surprised me,” the goddess said, straining under her burden. “It will not happen again.”

“Indeed it will not,” the man said. “Now you are out of the way for good!”

Artemis groaned. “You know nothing of mercy, you swine.”

“On that,” the man said, “we can agree. Luke, you may kill the girl now.”

“No!” Artemis shouted the same time Magnus did.

Luke hesitated. “She - she may yet be useful, sir. Further bait. She claimed her friends would come for her. They will come for her, General.”

The man considered. “Then the dracaenae can guard her here. Assuming she does not die from her injuries, you may keep her alive until winter solstice. After that, if our sacrifice goes as planned, her life will be meaningless. The lives of all mortals will be meaningless.”

Luke gathered up Alex’s listless body and carried her away from the goddess. Alex attempted a feeble struggle, but she was too weak from holding the rocks.

“You will never find the monster you seek,” Artemis said. “Your plan will fail.”

“How little you know, my young goddess,” the man in the shadows said. “Even now, your darling attendants begin their quest to find you. They shall play directly into my hands. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a long journey to make. We must greet your Hunters and make sure their quest is... challenging.”

The man's laughter echoed in the darkness, shaking the ground until it seemed the whole cavern ceiling would collapse.

* * *

“Magnus!” Annabeth hissed.

Magnus woke with a start. It was barely light outside. “What?”

“Time to go on our first quest together,” Annabeth said cheerfully. “We’re leaving in ten minutes. Hurry up.”

“I… Alex… she’s…” Magnus trailed off.

Annabeth looked at him sharply. “What about Alex?”

“She’s weak,” Magnus said. “From holding up those rocks. The sky. Whatever. Artemis has the burden now.”

Annabeth let out a breath. “She’s alive at least. Don’t worry, Magnus. We _will_ find her.” She paused. “You should tell Zoe and the others. Before we leave.”

Once they were all set and packed with a bag each, they made their way to Half-Blood Hill where Zoe, Bianca, Grover, Nico, Thalia, and Percy were waiting.

“I had a dream,” Magnus told them. “Artemis was there. She took Alex’s place under some rocks. Alex is pretty weak, but she’s still alive.”

“She?” Zoe interrupted.

“Alex is gender fluid,” Magnus explained.

Bianca looked confused still, but she didn’t say anything.

Annabeth cleared her throat. “We need to split up.”

“What?” Thalia asked, looking at her. “Why?”

“ _The son of summer’s sword he must find / With ghost king’s aid to save you time_ ,” Annabeth recited. “Magnus, Nico, and I will head to Boston to look for the sword. Percy will take Zoe, Bianca, Thalia, and Grover west to find Artemis and Alex.”

Zoe nodded. “Agreed. That seems to be our best plan. I will drive us. Do you have transportation?”

“It’s taken care of,” Annabeth nodded. She looked at Percy. “We’ll IM you guys when we find it and meet you wherever you are.”

Percy’s eyes flickered towards Nico briefly before returning to Annabeth. “Try to make it by tomorrow morning at the lastest.”

“I’ll try,” Annabeth promised. “Don’t die on me, Seaweed Brain.”

“ALAWT,” Percy grinned.

Annabeth snorted. “ALAWT,” she repeated.

“Kiss already and we can go,” Magnus said in a bored voice.

Annabeth and Percy turned red.

“Shut up, Swagness,” Percy said.

“I regret ever telling Alex about that,” Magnus muttered.

Zoe climbed into the driver’s seat of one of the camp vans. Bianca followed her and got in the passenger seat after giving her brother a hug.

“Be safe,” she told him.

Nico nodded silently.

Thalia and Grover said goodbye to Annabeth before getting into the van. Percy was the last one to follow. He waved to Annabeth with a silly smile on his face. Then the doors shut and Zoe took off like a madwoman.

Annabeth turned to Nico. “We’re going to Boston. You ever been?”

Nico snorted. “I’ve been everywhere. No promises on where we end up in Boston though.” He twirled his newly acquired black sword like he hadn’t just said that they could end up anywhere in Boston.

Magnus tried not to think about that last part.

“Where’d you get that?”

“My dad,” Nico answered casually. “Being claimed has its benefits, I suppose. I get my sword back, I get to dress like this.” He gestured to the black paints he was wearing and the black shirt with a skull under his brown aviator jacket.

“Now for you to get a sword,” Nico said. He held out his hands. “Grab my hands.”

“What are we doing?” Magnus asked, hesitantly grabbing Nico’s left hand.

Annabeth grasped Nico’s right hand. “Ready, Nico.”

The shadows stretched around them and then Magnus was moving through the darkness.

Just as soon as the shadows and darkness appeared, they were gone and Magnus was standing in the shade of a tree with Nico and Annabeth.

Nico sat down in a daze. “Whoa.”

Annabeth handed him a bottle. “Gatorade. Drink up.”

Nico drank a bit of the sports drink before handing it back. “Where are we?”

Magnus looked around. There was a gazebo with seven walkways leading up to it from a circular walkway that ran around it. Beyond the gazebo, he could see tennis courts and baseball fields.

“I think we’re in the Boston Common,” he said. “We need to get to the Longfellow Bridge. It’s about six or seven blocks north of us.”

Nico held up a hand. “Can we wait a while before moving? If we get attacked by fire giants, I need to be able to get us to safety. Cannot do that right now. Give me five minutes.”

Unfortunately, the usual demigod luck cropped up. A fluttering paper bellew towards Magnus.

“Oh Helheim,” he cursed.

Annabeth glanced over. “What is it?”

Magnus showed her the paper. “Look familiar?”

Annabeth took it and her jaw dropped. “These are just like the flyers my dad and I handed out for you.” Her eyes scanned the page. “Oh my gods, Magnus. Your mom must be worried sick!”

“My what?” Magnus sputtered.

“Your mom,” Annabeth said, pointing to the contact line. “If found, call Natalie Chase.”

Magnus felt like he would throw up. “I cannot go back there.”

“You have to,” Annabeth said. “It doesn’t help if _you_ are the subject of a nationwide manhunt. I’ve already been through this with Percy when the world thought he kidnapped his mom. It sucks on quests, okay? You have to tell her you’re okay. Give her something at least.”

“Annabeth, if I go back there, they’ll come for me,” Magnus whispered. “They’ll kill my mom.”

_The apartment shuddered. Someone or something screamed on the floor below. Natalie Chase dragged Magnus to the fire escape, making him promise to run and hide._

_The door burst open. Two wolves with glowing blue eyes emerged. Magnus slipped off the fire-escape and fell to the ground, landing in a pile of garbage bags. Above him, the windows exploded in fire._

“I won’t go back,” Magnus said.

Nico looked over the flyer. “Annabeth’s right. You have to tell your mom. Does she know about your dad?”

“Yeah,” Magnus said quietly. “She knows.” He took a breath. “Okay. My mom and I live in Allston. We can take a bus or a taxi or something there and have her drive us to the Longfellow Bridge after that.

* * *

It was luck that had the police at the Chase apartment the same time Magnus, Annabeth, and Nico arrived.

Natalie Chase had hugged Magnus so tight he thought he would pop. She thanked the police officers who seemed to want to question Magnus about his whereabouts, but Natalie ushered them out the door.

As soon as the police were gone, Natalie’s eyes were drawn to the sword at Nico’s side and the dagger on Annabeth’s hip.

“Annabeth?” she said.

Annabeth smiled. “Hi, Aunt Natalie.”

Natalie closed her eyes. “What are you doing, Magnus?”

“Mom,” Magnus managed.

_Natalie gripped Magnus by the arms and looked directly into his eyes._

_“Magnus, run. Hide. Don’t trust anyone. I’ll find you. Whatever you do, don’t go to Randolph for help,” she said._

_The wolves burst into the apartment and Magnus fell down, down, down…_

“I know about dad,” Magnus said. “I know.”

“Magnus,” Natalie said, looking sad.

Annabeth cleared her throat. “We’re trying to save some people right now. That’s where Magnus has been.”

Natalie was quiet. “Okay. Who… who’s in trouble?”

“My… friend,” Magnus answered. “And a… a goddess. Mom, we can’t stay. We have to go. I have to find dad’s sword.”

Natalie’s face hardened. “You’ve been talking to Randolph. Magnus, what have I told you-”

“No!” Magnus protested. “I haven’t been talking to him. I… I had a dream about it. About dad. Annabeth explained it all to me. Can you drive us to the Longfellow Bridge?”

“Your father has a sword at the Longfellow Bridge?” Natalie repeated.

Magnus laughed ruefully. “It’s insane, but yes. Please, mom? Just drop us off before the bridge and then get out of there. Just in case.”

“You’re asking me to leave you _just in case_ something happens?” Natalie said, biting her lip. “Magnus, I can’t do that.”

“You have to,” Nico finally spoke up. “I’m sorry, Ms. Chase, but this is something Magnus has to do by himself.”

“You’re twelve,” Natalie said to Magnus. “And you’re fourteen,” she said to Annabeth.

Annabeth looked away. “I’ve been in this since I was seven, Aunt Natalie. I ran away and spent a lot of time in the streets fighting monsters. I’ve been training ever since. We have to go now though. Our friends are going to be expecting us by tonight.”

Natalie exhaled. “Okay. Get in the car. Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent about twenty minutes trying to figure out how to phrase this without sounding like someone who has no idea what she's talking about, but what I was trying to say was that I like the idea of Artemis having a soft spot for anyone who is transgender and/or gender fluid like Alex. I don't know, it seems like it would fit into her character pretty well and that was pretty much confirmed when I saw a recent tweet by a fan about how Artemis accepts trans girls into the Hunt and Rick said that he would 100 percent support that.
> 
> Also. Hello, I actually spent a long time on Life 360's map to try and find the Longfellow Bridge and consequently map out this whole Boston journey, so everything is actually pretty accurate I think. Boston Commons is a real place with tennis courts and baseball fields. Don't ask me why I didn't do the reasonable thing and just google it because I don't have a good answer to that. I like to overcomplicate things apparently.
> 
> I was so happy for Magnus to see his mom again. I wasn't sure how to write her, so I hope I did okay. My impression of her was pretty similar to Sally Jackson. Just wants to keep her son safe and innocent as long as she can. So yeah. And I don't think it ever actually says, but I got the impression that Natalie knew who Frey was.


	9. Magnus Runs into Everyone (Magnus)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, two updates in one day. Like I said. I got bored and decided to post earlier, but still post a chapter at night.

AT MAGNUS’S INSISTENCE, THEY DROVE through Cambridge to get to the Longfellow Bridge. Natalie didn’t argue with her son. The less time they spent around Randolph Chase’s house, the better it would be for everyone.

“Be safe,” Natalie said when they all piled out of her car.

“We will, mom,” Magnus promised. “I… I love you, mom.”

Natalie smiled. “Love you too, pumpkin.”

Magnus could hear Nico laughing to himself behind him, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

“I’ll make sure this idiot doesn’t do anything stupid, Aunt Natalie,” Annabeth promised.

Natalie nodded and gave Magnus one last look before she pulled away.

“Let’s go get this sword,” Nico said.

Magnus led Annabeth and Nico towards the Longfellow Bridge. It wasn’t overly crowded being that it was the middle of December, but there were a few runners out and about.

“Please let me live, let me live,” Magnus chanted under his breath as he walked towards one of the bridge’s main towers. “I’m too young to die today.”

“You don’t have an aura of death, so I think you’ll be fine,” Nico shrugged.

Magnus looked at Annabeth. “Is he always like this?”

“I’m supposed to be working on my people skills,” Nico answered for her. “It’s going slow.”

They came to a stop at one of the bridge’s main towers - a cone of granite rising fifty feet above them. A hundred feet below, the Charles River glistened steel grey, its surface mottled with patches of snow and ice like the skin of a massive python.

“Here?” Annabeth asked, peering over the railing.

“I’m going to push you over,” Nico announced.

Annabeth quickly leaned back. “Thanks, Nico.”

“No problem,” Nico grinned. He glanced at Magnus. “How can you tell it’s here?”

“I can feel it,” Magnus said. He squinted down at the water. “It’s like… like I’m tuned into the right frequency or something. It’s hard to explain.”

Annabeth looked back nervously. “We should hurry. It’s already after noon. Let’s get the sword, get some food, and contact Percy.”

“Agreed,” Nico said.

Magnus stretched out his hand over the river.

He could try to imagine that he was reaching for his mom, but would that work? Natalie Chase was alive and well right now. And he didn’t need to search for answers from her or about her. He knew the answers to any question he wanted to ask.

Instead, he reached out for Alex. Where was she? Was she okay? Would they be able to find her in time?

Directly below, the surface of the water began to steam. Ice melted. Snow evaporated, leaving a hole the shape of a hand – Magnus’ hand, twenty times larger.

Magnus grinned. “Come on, come on.”

He swept his hand back and forth. A hundred feet below, the steaming hand mirrored his movements, clearing the surface of the Charles. Then he stopped.

“Found it,” Magnus said.

Annabeth let out a breath in relief. “Well, hurry. I don’t want to get noticed by any of your monsters. It wouldn’t be good to let them know Jack is out a little too early.”

“A real travesty,” Magnus said sarcastically. “You know what else would be a real travesty? Me! Dying! Now! No thank you.”

He closed his fingers and pulled. A dome of water swelled and ruptured like a dry-ice bubble. An object resembling a lead pipe shot upward and landed in his hand.

“That is _not_ a sword,” Nico said flatly.

He was right. The thing Magnus was holding was the right size for a sword, but it didn’t resemble a sword at all. It was corroded and encrusted with barnacles. It glistened with mud and slime.

Magnus studied it. “It will be.”

“Now what?” Nico said, looking at Annabeth.

“Now, I renew it,” Magnus said.

He held the sword in both hands. He felt a pulse in the metal like a heartbeat. It resonated up the blade and to his ears sounding like a faint hum. The sword glowed briefly. When the glow faded, the familiar sight of his sword greeted Magnus.

“That’s a sword,” Nico said. “I like that one better than the piece of junk you used to be holding.”

Magnus gave him an exasperated look. “It was the same sword.” He looked at the sword. “We are going to talk later, but for now, could you turn into something a little smaller and inconspicuous? A necklace?”

The sword shrank, melting into a runestone on a gold chain. The small white stone was emblazoned with a black symbol.

“What does that mean?” Nico asked, peering at the symbol.

“It’s my dad’s symbol,” Magnus explained. “The rune of Frey.”

Nico’s eyebrows shot up, but he didn’t say anything.

Magnus fastened the chain around his neck. Luckily, it was just like he remembered it, so the usage would work just as it had before. Pull the rune off the chain to activate the sword, shrink the sword back to a rune and reattach it to the necklace.

He grinned at Annabeth and Nico. “Do you guys like falafel? Because I know a great falafel place we can eat at.”

Annabeth shook her head fondly. “Lead on.”

Nico just mouthed the word _falafel_ , and followed after Magnus.

There was a rowdy group of three headed their way. Annabeth and Nico moved to the side to pass them, but Magnus didn’t notice until it was too late. He bumped into one of them with an “oof”.

“Sorry,” Magnus apologized.

The girl he bumped into, a redhead, looked at him. “Watch where you’re going, Beantown.”

“Sorry,” Magnus repeated.

“Mallory!” one of the boys called. “Come on!”

The girl, Mallory, rolled her eyes. “I’m coming, TJ!” she yelled, running over to catch up to her friends.

“Race you back to the hotel!” the other boy called.

“I ACCEPT!” the boy, TJ, shouted.

“That wasn’t even a proper challenge!” Mallory yelled, chasing after them.

Magnus watched them run off. He was tempted to follow them.

“Where’s this falafel?” Nico asked, interrupting Magnus’ thoughts.

Magnus shook his head. “Right. Uh, this way.”

* * *

It was well after one when they reached Fadlan’s Falafel.

Magnus refrained from talking to Adbel or Amir who he saw behind the counter. His attention was drawn instead to a family of three sitting off to the side. The two adults looked familiar, like he had seen them before. But what really got his attention was the third member. A young girl with her head wrapped in green.

“Sam,” Magnus murmured.

Annabeth turned to look at him. “What?”

“Nothing,” Magnus said, shaking his head. “Just… someone I recognized.”

The falafel was just as good as always, but Magnus couldn’t help feeling like he shouldn’t be there without his friends.

Nico was the first one done, only eating half of his falafel. “We should contact Percy soon. I might need to make two jumps to get to him. Depends on how far away he is.”

Annabeth wiped her mouth with a napkin and nodded. “Right. Um, I will go send an IM to Percy. Magnus, Nico, stay here.” She got up and went to the restroom.

Nico tapped his fingers on the table impatiently.

“Nervous?” Magnus asked, trying to make conversation.

He didn’t really know what to make of Nico. Sometimes, Nico seemed to be relaxed and sarcastic while other times he was moody and blunt.

“I didn’t want my sister on this quest,” Nico said flatly. “I don’t like being away from her right now. Two people are going to die on this quest.”

Magnus flinched. That hit a little too close to home. There were already two people involved in this quest that by all means _should_ be dead.

“You don’t know that Bianca’s one of them,” Magnus said.

Nico gave him a look. “I don’t know that she isn’t one of them. The prophecy…” he trailed off. “I don’t like it. The wording, the length, the number of demigods. It’s not good.”

Just then, Annabeth returned.

“Cloudcroft, New Mexico,” she said. “At least, that’s where they’re headed. They should be there in the morning. I say we travel halfway, Magnus, you can start befriending your sword and, Nico, you can rest until we have to move again.”

“Perfect,” Magnus said, standing up. He backed up and bumped into something.

“Oof!” someone squeaked.

Magnus turned around to see a dazed looking girl. “I’m so sorry!” he said. “Are you okay?”

“Samirah!”

The girl’s grandparents were waving her over.

Sam looked at Magnus awkwardly, her eyes darting over to the counter where Magnus could guess Amir was helping his dad. Sam’s cheeks were flushed pink.

“Sorry,” she mumbled before rejoining her grandparents.

Magnus blinked. “Oh that was odd,” he sighed.

“Your ex?” Nico asked, sounding bored.

“Haha, no. She’s engaged to someone else,” Magnus said. “Arranged marriage, but they’re totally in love. It’s adorable really.” He shook his head. “Let’s go.”

Nico took them towards the shaded trees. “We’ll stop in Tennessee. I’ll aim for somewhere in the trees. The less mortals the better.” He held out his hands. “Three, two, one.”

The shadows stretched and engulfed them.

* * *

The second journey through the shadows wasn’t as bad as the first.

Nico staggered against a tree and collapsed to the ground, immediately falling asleep.

“Why does he get tired?” Magnus asked Annabeth.

Annabeth frowned. “Well, he isn’t supposed to be doing a lot of shadow traveling. It’s dangerous if he does it too often. Not to mention the fact that his body just isn’t used to doing it. So,” she said, gesturing to the rune around his neck. “How does that work? Do you just… start talking to it?”

Magnus pulled the pendant off the necklace. The Sword of Summer grew to full length.

“Hello, Sumarbrander,” Magnus said awkwardly. “Uh, I’m Magnus Chase, son of Frey. I just thought that maybe we could get to know each other. I mean, I know that you are definitely famous among swords, obviously. And I know that you can do very good at kicking the butts of any enemy you encounter.”

“Thank you,” said the sword.

Annabeth jumped. “That… is freaky.”

The sword vibrated and glowed. “Am I fighting her?”

“What? No!” Magnus said quickly. “That’s Annabeth. She’s my cousin.”

“What about him?”

Magnus glanced at Nico. “Not him either. That’s Nico.”

“Then what are we doing?” the sword asked.

“Going on a quest,” Magnus answered. “We have to save a friend of mine and a goddess.”

The sword glowed brighter. “A goddess you say? Which one?”

Annabeth exchanged a look with Magnus. “The goddess is Lady Artemis, Ja- ah, Sumarbrander.”

The glow dimmed. “Artemis. What are you mixed up in?”

“I honestly have no idea,” Magnus grumbled. “But you’ll help me? Because as Alex so often reminds me, I can’t fight.”

“You saved me from that disgusting river,” the sword said. “And you are a son of Frey. Of course I will help, señor.”

Magnus’ lips twitched. “Thank you, Sumarbrander.”

“De nada,” said the sword. “But, you know, Sumarbrander is a really long name, and I’ve never liked it much.”

“So you want a new name,” Magnus summarized. “Okay. How about Jack.”

“Jack!” the sword, Jack, cried. “Perfect!”

“Okay, Jack,” Magnus said. “So you are my magical talking sword.”

“That can fight for you,” Jack added.

Magnus sighed. “Yes. That can fight for me.”

“Just be careful,” Jack warned. “The price of my amazing abilities: as soon as you sheathe me, or turn me into a pendant, or whatever, you will feel just as exhausted as if you had performed all my actions yourself.”

“Got it,” Magnus nodded.

“A question, señor,” Jack trilled. “Why are we rescuing Greek goddesses?”

Magnus almost regretted pulling Jack out of the water. Almost. But he couldn’t deny that he missed his sword like crazy the past couple days.

“Long, long story,” Magnus said. He proceeded to give Jack the abridged version of the past three days beginning with the manticore attack and the subsequent rescue of the di Angelos and loss of Alex.

“Jack?” Annabeth asked when Magnus was done explaining. “Do you think you can keep watch for us? Nico still needs rest, and the others won’t reach Cloudcroft until the morning.” She glanced at the setting sun.

“I can keep watch,” Jack agreed.

Annabeth let out a relieved breath. “Great. Wake us in the morning.” She cleared a spot in the snow at the base of a tree and set her bag down to use as a pillow.

“Let go of me, señor,” Jack said to Magnus. “I’ll do all the work.”

Magnus let go of Jack. The sword hovered in the air. “Thanks,” he said.

Jack glowed in response.

Magnus followed Annabeth’s example. He was asleep in seconds.

* * *

Magnus woke to Annabeth’s shaking.

“Percy said they arrived,” she said. “Nico’s ready to go. Come on!”

“I could take you where you need to go,” Jack offered. “Did you know I can open portals-”

“Not right now, Jack,” Magnus said. “I don’t really want anyone knowing I have you yet. And by anyone I mean my uncle and, like, anyone involved in starting the end of the world.” He turned Jack back into pendant form.

Nico stood up and took their hands. The shadows twisted around them and then they were gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Jack's back! And I had to throw in Magnus running into his future friends. Too good an opportunity to pass up.
> 
> I was going to have Nico say, "My 'people skills' are 'rusty'," but I'm going by year the book came out and for TTC that's 2007. Sooooo, Supernatural hasn't quite gotten to that part yet. I believe that's from season six which doesn't come out for another three years, so closer to Lost Hero. I ended up going with a reference to Will and Nico's conversation with Apollo in Hidden Oracle.
> 
> Okay, so I did actually try to do some research. Sam around this time would be roughly 12 or 13 years old. What I found was that Muslim girls typically start wearing the hijab between 10-13 years old. Can anyone confirm I got the ages right?


	10. Percy and Thalia are Great Spies (Percy)

PERCY SERIOUSLY WANTED TO REEVALUATE his life choices when Zoe gunned the Camp van down the road. He was pretty sure he left his stomach back on top of Half-Blood Hill with Annabeth, Nico, and Magnus.

Grover busied himself with tracking Artemis’ movements. He called out directions to Zoe every so often.

Thalia spent the ride in silence for the most part. She frowned occasionally and asked Grover a few questions about his tracking, but Grover insisted it was correct.

Bianca and Zoe talked in hushed tones, presumably about what awaited them at the end of the quest.

Zoe finally pulled over at a rest stop in Maryland.

“Should we contact Nico, Annabeth, and Magnus?” Bianca asked worriedly. “They haven’t contacted us yet.”

Percy shook his head. “Don’t worry, Bianca. They had to get to Boston first, okay? After that, it’s a matter of locating the sword.”

“They’re sure it’s in Boston?” Thalia asked. “I don’t like being separated. The sooner we regroup, the better I’ll feel.”

“It’s in Boston,” Percy confirmed. “I don’t know where. Annabeth said that Magnus should be able to feel it.”

They stopped in the convenience store to get hot chocolate.

“Which way next?” Zoe asked Grover.

Grover shook his head. “Same. Just keep heading south.”

“Grover, are you sure?” Thalia asked as they left the store.

“Well… pretty sure. Ninety-nine percent. Okay, eighty-five percent.”

“And you did this with acorns?” Bianca asked in disbelief.

“It’s a time honored tracking spell,” Grover informed her. “I mean, I’m pretty sure I did it right.”

“You did,” Percy assured him.

“D.C. is about sixty miles from here,” Bianca said. “Nico and I…” She frowned. “We used to live there. That’s… that’s strange. I’d forgotten.”

Percy avoided looking at Bianca. “Is that where we’re headed? D.C.?”

“I dislike this,” Zoe said, glaring at Percy like it was his fault Grover’s spell sent them this way. “We should go straight west. The prophecy said west.”

“Oh, like your tracking skills are better?” Thalia growled.

Zoe stepped toward her. “You challenge my skills, you scullion? You know nothing of being a Hunter!”

“Oh, scullion? You're calling me a scullion? What the heck is a scullion?”

“Calm down!” Percy said loudly.

Zoe and Thalia fell silent.

“Thank you,” Percy groaned, rubbing his face. “Okay. Grover’s tracking spell is taking us to D.C. for whatever reason. I believe in Grover, so Artemis must have gone to D.C. briefly. Let’s please follow her?”

“Percy’s right,” Bianca agreed. “D.C. is our best bet.”

Zoe didn't look convinced, but she nodded reluctantly. “Very well. Let us keep moving.”

“You're going to get us arrested, driving,” Thalia grumbled. “I look closer to sixteen than you do.”

“Perhaps,” Zoe snapped. “But I have been driving since automobiles were invented. Let us go.”

They climbed back into the van. Zoe drove in total silence for a while. Finally, Thalia spoke up.

“Hey, Percy?”

Percy glanced over at her. “Huh?”

“Why’d you pick me?”

“Well, gee, Thalia,” Percy said with a small smile. “I thought it was obvious. I like my friends to have my back in these life or death situations.”

Thalia looked rather flattered.

“I have a question,” Bianca said. “I’ve been thinking about the prophecy. The prophecy said eight are going on this quest, but it only specifically names what will happen to six of us. Seven at the most.”

“Prophecies do not always sound clear,” Zoe told her. “They are just meant to guide thee on thy quest.”

“Zoe’s right,” Percy said. “I mean, the prophecy only specifically names Nico and Magnus. Everything else is pretty vague.”

Zoe started to slow down. “We are here,” she announced. She parked the van. “Where to?” she asked as they got out.

Grover pointed towards a big building lining the Mall. “The Smithsonian.”

“Good a start as any I suppose,” Thalia shrugged.

Percy glanced back down the road where a black sedan was parked. The door opened, and a man got out.

“Don’t look now,” he said in a low voice to the other four, “but Dr. Thorn just arrived down the street.”

Thalia and Zoe stiffened ever so slightly. Their backs straightened. Bianca drew a sharp breath as she fought the urge to turn around. Grover nervously reached for his pipes.

“Just keep walking,” Zoe ordered quietly. “Act like nothing is wrong. Grover, lead us.”

Grover was jittery as he trotted up the Mall towards the building he had pointed towards. Finally, he stopped in front of a big building that said NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM.

Thalia checked the door. It was open, but there weren't many people going in. Too cold, and school was out of session. They slipped inside.

Bianca peered out the window. “He’s not following us,” she said.

Thalia frowned. “Where’s he going then?” she asked, looking out.

“The Museum of Natural History,” Bianca answered, squinting across the Mall. “Zoe, should we follow  _ him _ ?”

Zoe looked at Percy. “It’s  _ your _ quest,” she said.

Percy blew out a breath. “Right. Thalia and I can follow him. Grover, Zoe, and Bianca, you guys keep tracking Artemis. It’s definitely not a coincidence that Thorn is here at the same time as us.”

Thalia and Percy left the Smithsonian and made their way across the Mall to the Museum of Natural History. There was a sign on the door that said CLOSED FOR PRIVATE EVENT.

“Wait,” Thalia held out her arm. “Thorn must be meeting with someone. Monsters probably. We need to find a different entrance.”

They didn’t find a back entrance to use, but they did find a window Thalia was able to jimmy open so they could listen to what was going on.

“-take them,” Luke’s voice said.

Thalia inhaled sharply.

“We have more than enough-”

“Patience,” another voice said, interrupting Luke. “They’ll have their hands full already. I’ve sent a little playmate to keep them occupied.”

Thalia and Percy exchanged a look.

_ Warn them _ , Thalia mouthed.

Percy shook his head.  _ Not yet. Keep listening. _

“But-”

“We cannot risk you, my boy.”

“Yes, boy,” Thorn said. “You are much too fragile to risk. Let me finish them off.”

“No,” the other voice said. “You have already failed me, Thorn.”

“But, General-”

“No excuses!” the voice roared. “I should throw you into the pits of Tartarus for your incompetence. I send you to capture a child of the three elder gods, and you bring me that… that  _ girl _ . Now get out of my sight, Thorn, until I find some other menial task for you.” He paused for a moment. “Now, my boy. The first thing we must do is isolate the half-blood Thalia. The monster we seek will then come to her.”

Thalia’s face turned pale.

“The Hunters will be difficult to dispose of,” Luke said. “Zoe Nightshade-”

“Do not speak her name!” the General roared making Percy and Thalia jump. “Let me show you, my boy, how we will bring the Hunters down. Do you have the teeth?”

_ What teeth? _ Thalia asked, still pale.

“Yes, General!” someone said.

“Plant them.”

Percy began to get a sinking feeling in his gut. He peered in through the window carefully so as not to let anyone see his face. He watched a guard push white teeth into the soil and water them with a red liquid. The soil bubbled.

“Soon,” the General said, “I will show you, Luke, soldiers that will make your army from that little boat look insignificant.”

“I’ve spent a year training my forces!” Luke said angrily. “When the Princess Andromeda arrives at the mountain, they’ll be the best-”

“Ha,” the General said. “I don’t deny your troops will make a fine honor guard for Lord Kronos. And you, of course, will have a role to play, but under my leadership, the forces of Lord Kronos will increase a hundredfold. We will be unstoppable. Behold, my ultimate killing machines.”

A quiet: “Mew?” cut through the silence.

Thalia slapped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. “A cat?” she scoffed quietly.

“What is this?” the General roared. “Cute cuddly kittens? Where did you find those teeth?”

“From the exhibit, sir! Just like you said. The saber-toothed tiger-”

“No, you idiot! I said the tyrannosaurus! Gather up those… those infernal fuzzy little beasts and take them outside. And never let me see your face again. You! Get me the right teeth. NOW!”

“We need to go, Percy,” Thalia said urgently. “We need to warn them. If this General is  _ planting _ teeth.”

“He wants skeleton warriors,” Percy finished. “Like that one movie.”

Thalia rolled her eyes. “Yes. Like that one movie.” Her eyes flashed back to the scene in the window. “We have to go. Really. They have the Hunters’ scent. We need to warn Zoe and Bianca.”

“Once my warriors catch its scent, they will pursue its owner relentlessly. Nothing can stop them, no weapons known to half-blood or Hunter. They will tear the Hunters and their allies to shreds,” the General was saying. “Toss it here!”

As he said that, skeletons erupted from the ground. There were twelve of them. They grew flesh as Percy and Thalia watched, turning into men, but men with dull gray skin, yellow eyes, and modern clothes—gray muscle shirts, camo pants, and combat boots.

The skeleton warriors passed around the silver fabric, holding it up to their noses and sniffing the scent.

Percy and Thalia raced back across the Mall and burst into the Air and Space Museum. Percy led Thalia up the ramp to the top-floor balcony, surprising Grover, Zoe, and Bianca.

“Luke’s here,” Percy said. “Him and Dr. Thorn and the General.”

“The General is here?” Zoe looked stunned. “That is impossible! You lie.”

“He isn’t lying,” Thalia said grimly. She explained what had happened.

Everyone turned to look at Bianca.

“What?” she asked.

“You are a daughter of Hades,” Zoe said. “Perhaps you can stop these skeleton warriors.”

Bianca pulled out a black knife. “This is from… my father. Nico has a sword.” She looked uncomfortable. “He appeared in my dreams last night. He said it was Stygian Iron.”

Zoe nodded. “Stygian Iron is mined and forged in the Underworld and cooled in the waters of the River Styx. Only children of the Underworld can wield it.”

“Worry about that later,” Thalia said. “We need to move now. Those skeletons have Zoe and Bianca’s scent. Did you find anything about Artemis?”

“We were following Artemis's trail,” Grover said. “I was pretty sure it led here. Some powerful monster scent... She must've stopped here looking for the mystery monster. But we haven't found anything yet.”

“Back to the van,” Thalia said. She glanced around nervously. “They said they were sending a playmate our way. We should leave before-”

A loud growl cut her off.

“Before that?” Bianca asked weakly.

Below, a few adults screamed. A little kid's voice screeched with delight: “Kitty!”

Something enormous bounded up the ramp. It was the size of a pick-up truck, with silver claws and golden glittering fur.

“The Nemean Lion,” Thalia said. “Don't move.”

The lion roared. Its fangs gleamed like stainless steel.

“Separate on my mark,” Zoe said. “Try to keep it distracted.”

“Until when?” Grover asked.

“Until I think of a way to kill it. Go!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to have them take the Hunters' scent from the skeletons, but I really had no way to write that. Annabeth obviously has her hat so no one could slip in invisibly. Oh well.


	11. Lions Hate Ice Cream (Percy)

PERCY UNCAPPED RIPTIDE and rolled to the left as Grover played a sharp _tweet-tweet_ cadence on his reed pipes.

Zoe and Bianca were climbing the Apollo capsule as they fired arrows, one after another, all shattering harmlessly against the lion's metallic fur. The lion swiped the capsule and tipped it on its side, spilling the Hunters off the back.

Grover played a frantic, horrible tune, and the lion turned toward him, but Thalia stepped into its path, holding up Aegis, and the lion recoiled. “ROOOAAAR!”

“Hi-yah!” Thalia said. “Back!”

The lion growled and clawed the air, but it retreated as if the shield were a blazing fire. Then the lion crouched, its leg muscles tensing.

“Hey!” Percy yelled, charging the beast.

He slashed with Riptide, even though he knew the blade would just clag against its fur. Percy backed against the railing and jumped over it onto the wing of an old-fashioned silver airplane.

The lion followed, jumping onto the aircraft and causing the cord holding the plane to groan.

Percy groaned. “Ugh. Zoe! Target the mouth! _Target the mouth_!”

He slid down the wing of the plane and dropped onto the top of a floor exhibit, a huge model of the earth.

“Grover! Clear the area!” Percy yelled as the Nemean Lion wreaked havoc on the model earth.

Groups of kids were running around screaming. Grover tried to corral them away from the monster just as the other cord on the spaceship snapped and the exhibit crashed to the floor.

Thalia dropped off the second-floor railing and landed across from Percy, on the other side of the globe.

The lion regarded them both, trying to decide which to kill first.

Zoe and Bianca were above with their bows ready, but they kept having to move around to get a good angle.

“No clear shot!” Zoe yelled. “Get it to open its mouth more!”

The lion snarled from the top of the globe.

“I’m on it!” Percy shouted, dashing off towards the gift shop. “Thalia, keep it occupied!”

He didn’t wait for her response, but he heard Thalia say, “Hi-yah!” so he assumed she was doing as he said.

“ROOOOOOOAR!”

Yep. Thalia was definitely keeping the lion occupied.

“This is no time for souvenirs, boy!” Zoe yelled as Percy ducked into the gift shop.

Percy knocked over rows of t-shirts and jumped over tables full of glow-in-the-dark planets and space ooze. He reached the far wall which was covered in racks of glittery silver packets. He grinned and grabbed an armful.

Zoe and Bianca were still showering arrows on the monster, but it was no good. The lion seemed to know better than to open its mouth too much. It snapped at Thalia, slashing with its claws. It even kept its eyes narrowed to tiny slits.

Thalia jabbed at the monster and backed up. The lion pressed her.

“Percy,” she called, “whatever you're going to do—”

The lion roared and swatted her like a cat toy, sending her flying into the side of a Titan rocket. Her head hit the metal and she slid to the floor.

“Hey!” Percy yelled, hurling Riptide like a throwing knife. It bounced off the lion’s side, but it got the monster’s attention.

Percy charged, and as the lion leapt to intercept him, he chucked a space food pouch into his maw.

The lion’s eyes got wide and it gagged like a cat with a hairball.

“Zoe, Bianca, get ready!” Percy shouted. He grinned at the lion. “Snack time!”

The lion roared, only to be met with an ice-cream sandwich thrown down its throat. More ice-cream flavors and a few more space food pouches followed. The lion’s eyes bugged. It opened its mouth wide and reared up on its back paws, trying to get away.

“Now!” Percy yelled.

Immediately, arrows pierced the lion's maw—two, four, six. The lion thrashed wildly, turned, and fell backward. And then it was still.

Alarms wailed throughout the museum. People were flocking to the exits. Security guards were running around in a panic with no idea what was going on.

Grover knelt at Thalia's side and helped her up. She seemed okay, just a little dazed. Zoe and Bianca dropped from the balcony and landed next to Percy.

Zoe eyed him cautiously. “That was... an interesting strategy.”

“Hey, it worked.”

She didn't argue.

The lion melted until there was nothing left but its glittering fur coat.

“Take it,” Zoe told Percy.

Percy reached out hesitantly. “Are you sure you don’t want it?”

Zoe’s eyes turned sad. “Fair is fair, Percy Jackson. It was a good plan. It is rightly thine. Take the fur.”

Percy lifted it up and it turned into a full-length golden-brown duster.

“We have to get out of here,” Grover said. “The security guards won't stay confused for long. Minor confusion song. But it’ll only last a few seconds.”

“The security guards are not our biggest worry,” Zoe said. “Look.”

Through the glass walls of the museum, a group of men walked across the lawn. Gray men in gray camouflage outfits.

Bianca swallowed. “I vote leaving.”

“Same,” Thalia agreed. “Let’s get out of here.”

* * *

Bianca di Angelo was pretty smart, Percy had to give her that.

When they noticed a sleek, black military helicopter like the one from Westover Hall following them, she suggested that they take the subways. They got on a train headed south to Alexandria.

Percy tried not to dwell on what Bianca had said about the subway being new.

They changed trains a few times without any rhyme or reason to where they were going.

When they finally got off the subway, they were in an industrial area with nothing but warehouses and railway tracks.

“Y’all need to get warmed up? Come on over!”

Percy and the others turned in the direction of the voice. It was a homeless guy standing at a trash-can fire. He gave them a toothless grin. They huddled gratefully around the fire.

“Well, this is g-g-g-great,” Thalia said, teeth chattering.

“My hooves are frozen,” Grover complained.

“Maybe we should contact camp,” Bianca said. “Or the others?”

“No,” Zoe said. “Camp cannot help us anymore, and the others must find this sword. They will contact us when they find it.”

“You know,” the homeless man said, “you’re never completely without friends.” His face was grimy and his beard tangled, but his expression seemed kindly. “You kids need a train going west?”

“Yeah,” Percy said. “You know of any?”

The guy pointed a greasy hand towards a freight train, gleaming and free of snow. It was an automobile-carrier train, with steel mesh curtains and a triple-deck of cars inside. The side of the freight train said SUN WEST LINE.

“Convenient,” Thalia muttered. “Thanks, uh…” She turned to the homeless guy, but he was gone.

* * *

Zoe and Bianca were crashed out in a Lexus on the top deck. Grover was behind the wheel of a Lamborghini. Thalia hot-wired the radio of a black Mercedes SLK so she could pick up the alt-rock stations from D.C.

Percy was tempted to join his friends, but he didn’t really want Thalia to question him about what the General had said about separating her from the group. Plus, he was hoping that Annabeth would IM soon and he could talk to her in private.

He climbed into a convertible on the bottom deck and watched the scene pass by.

An Iris Message shimmered in front of him.

“Percy!” Annabeth said.

Percy sat up and grinned. “Annabeth! Did you guys get the sword?”

“Yes,” she said. “We have it. Where are you?”

“We’re on a train,” Percy answered. “It’s headed to Cloudcroft, New Mexico. We should be there in the morning.”

Annabeth bit her lip. “Not a good idea for Nico to shadow travel to a moving train. Okay. We’ll go halfway now and meet you in the morning.”

“Annabeth, the prophecy,” Percy began.

“I know,” Annabeth sighed. “I want to get Nico back as soon as possible.” She jumped and looked behind her. “I have to go. It’s a restaurant bathroom.” She swiped through the message and it disappeared.

Percy sighed. He traced over the buttons of the car absently. In the distance, the sun was beginning to set.

“ _The sun is so bright,_

_Apollo drives it daily,_

_He is so awesome_.”

Percy glanced over at the homeless guy. “Apollo,” he said without enthusiasm.

He put his finger to his lips. “I'm incognito. Call me Fred.”

“Fred. What do you want?”

“To help,” Apollo shrugged. “My sister’s been kidnapped. You’re on a quest to find her.” He frowned. “With Magnus Chase.”

Percy tried to look indifferent. “So what? Magnus is a good guy. He wants to find Alex.”

Apollo’s face darkened. “I know a lot, and I see a lot. I’m the god of the prophecy. I don’t think you know what you’re doing right now.”

“I know exactly what I’m doing,” Percy said.

“Maybe for now,” Apollo agreed. “Maybe for the next year. Maybe for the next few years. But at some point, that luck and that knowledge runs out. Things happen that not even you or your friends can control.” He looked at Percy. “If you must, seek out Nereus, the Old Man of the Sea. He has the gift of knowledge sometimes kept obscure from my Oracle. Ask him what to do. I have to run. I doubt I can risk helping you again, Percy, but remember what I said! Get some sleep! And when you return, I expect a good haiku about your journey!”

“Apollo,” Percy said.

The god turned to look at him, head cocked. “What?”

“Don’t go taking bribes,” Percy said.

Apollo looked confused, but he nodded. “Sleep.” He snapped his fingers, and the next thing Percy knew, he was closing his eyes.

* * *

Percy woke when the train jarred to a stop. He sat up to see Zoe and Bianca climbing down from the top level. Grover and Thalia were waiting for them.

They gathered at a sign that read WELCOME TO CLOUDCROFT, NEW MEXICO. It was a ski town nestled in the mountains. The air was cold and thin. The roofs of the cabins were heaped with snow, and dirty mounds of it were piled up on the sides of the streets. Tall pine trees loomed over the valley, casting pitch-black shadows, though the morning was sunny.

“I should send a message to Annabeth, Magnus, and Nico,” Percy said. “They’ll meet us here.”

They found a spot to make a rainbow and Percy tossed a drachma in. Annabeth’s face appeared in the rainbow.

“Percy!” she whispered. “Are you guys stopped?”

“Cloudcroft, New Mexico,” Thalia said. “How are you guys doing?”

Annabeth shrugged. “Pretty good considering we spent the night in the woods. I’ll wake Nico and Magnus. Did you just arrive?”

“Yep,” Percy confirmed.

“Maybe we should pick a rendezvous spot,” Bianca said nervously. “I don’t know where you are, Annabeth, but we could probably get transportation somewhere to meet you tonight maybe?”

Annabeth’s face tightened. “Don’t worry. We’ll be there in a few minutes. We aren’t far from you. Nico!” she called over her shoulder.

Nico’s face appeared in the message. “Cloudcroft,” he tested. “Alright. We’ll be there soon.”

“Wait for us,” Annabeth said, swiping through the message.

“You heard the lady,” Percy said. “We wait.”

As they waited, it seemed to grow colder. Finally, Annabeth appeared out of the woods followed by Magnus and Nico. The latter of whom appeared to be very tired.

“Nico!” Bianca cried, rushing over to her brother. “You look exhausted! Didn’t you sleep at all?”

Nico gave her a dry look. “I’m fine, Bianca.”

Bianca didn’t look very convinced. “Nico-”

“I’m fine,” Nico said firmly. “Really.”

“The sword,” Zoe said. “Where is it?”

Magnus tapped a pendant on his necklace. It had a strange looking F on it. “Right here.”

Zoe looked suspicious. “Who is thy father, Magnus?”

“You wouldn’t know him,” Magnus said, not meeting her eyes. “Can we get going?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original haiku by me. Pretty proud of that Apollo worthy poem.
> 
> Also for anyone who's confused, the narrators or people whose PoV this story is told from are Percy Jackson and Magnus Chase. Both are in Third Person... limited I want to say? I don't know. I prefer writing in third person rather than first person. I've formatted it like the Heroes of Olympus series with the narrators each having two chapters. Percy, Percy, Magnus, Magnus, Percy Percy, Magnus, Magnus, and so on so forth.


	12. Zoe and Magnus Are Not Best Friends (Magnus)

MAGNUS DIDN’T LIKE KEEPING DANGEROUS WOMEN in the dark. He’d been on the receiving end of the irritation of too many females way too many times. Annabeth, Mallory, Sam, Alex. Especially Alex who liked to choose the more deadly options first.

But Zoe, Bianca, and Thalia were another story. Zoe was like Annabeth, Mallory, Sam, and Alex all wrapped in one which made for a deadly combination. Bianca he had a feeling could go from being as friendly as Sam to deadly as Sam very quickly. Thalia was like Mallory and Alex fuzed together. No filter, just action.

Thalia didn’t trust Magnus. She’d made that very clear back at Westover Hall. Magnus was sure that over the past few days, that opinion hadn’t changed a bit. He was also pretty sure that Annabeth and Percy brushing off the strange circumstances around his existence weren’t helping either.

“So I talked to Apollo last night,” Percy said as they walked towards the town. “He told me to seek out Nereus in San Francisco.

Zoe looked thoughtful. “A good idea. He might know where Lady Artemis is.”

“Or what the monster she was hunting is,” Thalia added.

Percy shrugged. “Yeah. Anyway, I guess that’s where we’re headed next.”

They reached Main Street and stopped.

“Great,” Thalia said, looking around. “No bus station. No taxis. No car rental. No way out.”

“There’s a coffee shop!” said Grover.

“Yes,” Zoe said. “Coffee is good.”

“And pastries,” Grover added dreamily. “And wax paper.”

“Okay,” Annabeth said. “Zoe, Grover, why don’t you two go get us some food. Thalia and I will go to the grocery store and see about getting directions. Percy, Magnus, and Bianca, stay with Nico.”

“I’m tired, not incompetent,” Nico mumbled. “I don’t need a whole squad to guard me.”

_ He just traveled hundreds of miles, _ Jack said.  _ He’s aware of that, yes? _

“Shut up,” Magnus said aloud.

Zoe nodded. “For once I agree with a boy.”

_ How did she hear me? _ Jack demanded.

“You are clearly exhausted,” Zoe continued. “I doubt you could last very long in a fight right now.”

Jack didn’t say anything, and Magnus supposed he should be grateful Jack didn’t start singing a mournful tune.

“Meet back here in fifteen minutes,” Annabeth said. Then she and Thalia left in the direction of the grocery store while Zoe and Grover hurried towards the convenience store for food.

Bianca waited awkwardly with Percy and Magnus. Nico was half-asleep on a bench.

“So,” she began. “When did you meet Alex?”

Magnus allowed a faint smile. “I guess I first met Alex when I stepped out of an elevator and a giant cheetah raced past me.”

“Right,” Bianca nodded. “Shapeshifter. Is that like a demigod thing or what?”

“Kind of,” Magnus shrugged. “She got it from her mom. What about you? How do you like being a Hunter so far?”

“Being a Hunter is definitely cool,” Bianca said. “I feel calmer somehow. Everything seems to have slowed down around me. I guess that’s the immortality.” She glanced at Nico who appeared to be out like a light. “Nico was mad at me. He didn’t understand my decision.”

“He’ll be alright,” Percy promised. “Like I said, he’ll have friends at Camp. Annabeth, Thalia, Grover, and I will be there.”

Bianca’s eyes lowered. “There isn’t a Hades cabin. And I’m not stupid, Percy. I know we don’t have a god everyone likes for a father.”

“I don’t have a problem with your father being Hades,” Percy said stubbornly. “Anyone who’s worth it doesn’t care either.”

Bianca glanced at Magnus.

He held up his hands. “Hey, he can’t be as bad as Alex’s mom. Percy’s right. If someone can’t see past your parentage, then they probably aren’t anyone you should waste your time on.”

“Yeah, well, I’m glad I met you,” Bianca told them. “If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have felt okay about leaving Nico at the camp. With people like you there, Nico will be fine. You’re a good guy, Percy. You too, Magnus.”

Annabeth and Thalia returned.

“So it looks like we won’t be getting any mortal transportation out of here,” Annabeth said. She glanced at Nico. “He asleep?”

“Since you two left,” Percy confirmed.

Grover and Zoe came out of the coffee shop loaded down with pastry bags and drinks. They passed out coffee and hot chocolate and an assortment of muffins.

“We should do the tracking spell,” Zoe said. “Grover, do you have any acorns left?”

“Umm,” Grover mumbled. He was chewing on a bran muffin, wrapper and all. “I think so. I just need to-” He froze.

Magnus looked around warily. “Uh, what just happened?”

A warm breeze rustled past, like a gust of springtime had gotten lost in the middle of winter. Fresh air seasoned with wildflowers and sunshine. And something else—almost like a voice, trying to say something. A warning.

Magnus could almost imagine it was his dad, but something felt different.

Zoe gasped. “Grover, thy cup.”

Grover dropped his coffee cup, which was decorated with pictures of birds. Suddenly the birds peeled off the cup and flew away—a flock of tiny doves. Grover collapsed next to his coffee, which steamed against the snow. Thalia and Annabeth dropped next to him and tried to wake him up. He groaned, his eyes fluttering.

Bianca shivered, glancing down the street.

Nico sat bolt upright, now wide awake.

“Holy- Don’t do that!” Magnus sputtered, clutching his heart.

“We need to go,” Nico said urgently, standing up. “Now.”

Bianca looked scared. “He’s right. I… I can feel it or sense it. It’s…” she couldn’t explain it.

“The skeletons,” Zoe realized.

“Uuuuuhhhh,” Grover groaned.

“Magnus, help me carry Grover,” Annabeth ordered.

Together they pulled Grover to his feet and supported him between the two of them.

They made it to the edge of the town before the first two skeleton warriors appeared. They stepped from the trees on either side of the road. Instead of gray camouflage, they were now wearing blue New Mexico State Police uniforms, but they had the same transparent gray skin and yellow eyes. They drew their handguns.

Thalia tapped her bracelet and her shield spiraled to life on her arm. Percy uncapped his pen, Riptide springing to life. Nico drew his black sword, and Bianca pulled out her black knife. Zoe drew back an arrow in her bow.

“Back up,” Thalia said.

They started to, but then more rustling of branches behind them. Two more skeletons appeared on the road behind them.

“Didn’t you say there were twelve?” Magnus asked Percy nervously.

One of the skeletons raised a cell phone to his mouth and made a dry clattering, clicking sound.

“I think they split up,” Percy said weakly. “And I think that one just radioed for backup.”

“It's near,” Grover moaned.

“It's here,” Magnus said.

“No,” he insisted. “The gift. The gift from the Wild.”

“The gift of the who?” Magnus demanded.

“Stay back!” Nico shouted at the skeletons.

The skeletons faltered and their guns lowered ever so slightly.

Magnus reached for his pendant, ready to bring Jack out.

“The Wild!” Grover moaned.

A warm wind blew through the canyon, rustling the trees.

Percy charged towards one of the skeletons. He swung Riptide up to meet the bullet said skeleton fired. He sliced off the skeleton’s arms and cut him in half.

His bones unknit and clattered to the asphalt in a heap. Almost immediately, they began to move, reassembling themselves.

Bianca hurtled her knife at a second skeleton. The whole skeleton erupted in flames, leaving a little pile of ashes and a police badge. She looked frightened by what she had done, but dove for her knife which lay innocently atop the ashes.

Meanwhile, Nico had done pretty much the same thing as his sister to the skeleton Percy had cut in half. Nico slashed at the slowly reforming skeleton, causing the purple flames to disintegrate the skeleton.

With a path cleared, Annabeth and Magnus began to drag Grover away from the fighting. They dropped him off at the edge of the treeline and turned back to the battle.

Thalia had charged the third skeleton, while Zoe was taking on the fourth. Bianca was still staring at her knife in shock.

There was a crashing sound in the forest to the left, like a bulldozer. Magnus really hoped that wasn’t the rest of the skeletons arriving. If so, they were doomed.

“I said STAY BACK!” Nico yelled.

Immediately, the ground beneath the last two skeletons cracked open and the skeletons were sucked in. The chasm closed, and Nico stumbled, crashing to the ground.

“Nico!” Bianca gasped, coming out of her shock and lunging for her brother.

Behind them, the trees were shivering. Branches were cracking.

“A gift,” Grover muttered.

Then, with a mighty roar, the largest pig Magnus has ever seen came crashing into the road. It was a wild boar, thirty-feet high, with a snotty pink snout and tusks the size of canoes. Its back bristled with brown hair, and its eyes were wild and angry.

“What the Helheim?” Magnus screamed.

Zoe had an almost triumphant look on her face at that, but it didn’t last very long because she had to dive out of the boar’s path.

“REEEEEEEEET!” it squealed.

Thalia raised her speak, but Grover yelled, “Don’t kill it!”

The boar grunted and pawed the ground, ready to charge.

“That's the Erymanthian Boar,” Zoe said, trying to stay calm. “I don't think we can kill it.”

“It's a gift,” Grover said. “A blessing from the Wild!”

The boar said “REEEEEEET!” and swung its tusk. Bianca pushed Nico aside and dove into the snow next to him to get out of the way. Percy tackled Grover before the satry could get launched into the mountain on the Boar Tusk Express.

“Yeah, I feel blessed!” Percy said. “Scatter!”

They ran off in different directions, and for a moment the boar was confused.

“It wants to kill us!” Thalia said.

“Of course,” Grover said. “It’s wild!”

“So how is that a blessing?” Bianca asked, pulling a stumbling Nico along behind her.

Grover had said not to kill the boar, but Magnus was running out of reasons to listen to him and not call Jack to kill the beast.

The boar charged Thalia who rolled out of the way and came up behind the beast. It lashed out with its tusks and pulverized the WELCOME TO CLOUDCROFT sign.

“Keep moving!” Zoe yelled.

She, Bianca, Nico, Magnus, and Grover ran in one direction while Percy, Thalia, and Annabeth went another way. The boar chased after the trio.

“We have to help them!” Bianca said.

Zoe grabbed Magnus by the arm. “I expect answers from you later,” she said icily.

Magnus swallowed and nodded.

They raced off after the boar, following the tracks it made in the snow. They reached the edge of a gorge.

“Hellooooooo?” Grover called.

“Down here!” Percy shouted.

Zoe, Bianca, Nico, Magnus, and Grover slid down the side and landed in the snow next to Percy, Thalia, and Annabeth. They were cut up and bleeding with pine needles in their hair.

Magnus reached for them before faltering.

Annabeth gave him a smile, but shook her head. They were fine.

The boar struggled to escape the snow, but it wasn’t making much progress.

“A blessing of the Wild,” Grover said.

“I agree,” Zoe said. “We must use it.”

“Hold up,” Thalia said irritably. “Explain to me why you’re so sure this pig is a blessing.”

Grover looked over, distracted. “It's our ride west. Do you have any idea how fast this boar can travel?”

“Really fast?” Magnus guessed.

Grover nodded. “We need to get aboard. I wish... I wish I had more time to look around. But it's gone now.”

“What's gone?” Bianca asked. Next to her, Nico looked a bit more alert.

Grover didn’t answer. He walked over to the boar and jumped onto its back. Already the boar was starting to make some headway through the drift. Once it broke free, there’d be no stopping it. Grover took out his pipes and started to play a snappy tune. He tossed and apple in front of the boar which started to float and spin right above the boar’s nose. The boar went nuts, straigning to get it.

“Brilliant,” Annabeth grinned, trudging over to hope on behind Grover.

Percy got on next and Magnus quickly followed not wanting to get stuck sitting behind Zoe. Bianca helped Nico get behind Magnus and then she and Zoe climbed on with Thalia bringing up the rear.

“Does anyone know what Grover is talking about - this wild blessing?” Magnus asked.

“Of course,” Zoe said, causing Magnus to flinch at her tone. “Did you not feel it in the wind? It was so strong… I never thought I would sensethat presence again.”

“What presence?”

Zoe gave him a look. “The Lord of the Wild, of course. Just for a moment, in the arrival of the boar, I felt the presence of Pan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zoe's been around a pretty long time. Seeing as Atlas is her father, I'm thinking she was around since before the first Titan war. So I'm positive she has to know something about other mythologies existing. Hence why she can catch onto the rune and the way Magnus talks and make the connection Bianca and Thalia wouldn't even consider.


	13. Bianca and Nico are Not From Around Here (Magnus)

ZOE DIDN’T BRING UP WANTING TO KNOW ANSWERS the whole ride west. Magnus was relieved. He really hoped she had forgotten about that, but knowing Zoe, she probably just wanted to wait until she could catch Magnus off guard.

By nightfall, the boar came to a stop at a creek bed and snorted. They decided that this was far enough and they should probably get out of there before the boar noticed them.

The boar chewed on cacti and drank some of the water before squealing and running back east.

“It likes the mountains better,” Percy guessed.

“I can't blame it,” Thalia said. “Look.”

Up ahead, there was a two-lane road half covered with sand. On the other side of the road was a cluster of buildings too small to be a town: a boarded-up house, a taco shop that looked like it hadn’t been open in decades, and a white stucco post office with a sign that said GILA CLAW, ARIZONA hanging crooked above the door.

Beyond that was a range of hills, but they weren’t regular hills. The hills were enormous mounds of old cars, appliances, and other scrap metal. It was a junkyard that seemed to go on forever.

“Whoa,” Magnus murmured.

“Something tells me we're not going to find a car rental here,” Thalia said. She looked at Graver. “I don't suppose you got another wild boar up your sleeve?”

Grover was sniffing the wind, looking nervous. He fished out his acorns and threw them into the sand, then played his pipes. They rearranged themselves in a pattern that made Grover look concerned.

“That's us,” he said. “Those eight nuts right there. That cluster right there,” Grover said, pointing to the left, “that's trouble.”

“A monster?” Thalia asked.

Grover looked uneasy. “I don't smell anything, which doesn't make sense. But the acorns don't lie. Our next challenge...” He pointed straight toward the junkyard. With the sunlight almost gone now, the hills of metal looked like something on an alien planet.

Nico’s face was completely devoid of color. Magnus almost asked him what was wrong, but the son of Hades had his hand clutching the hilt of his sword and Magnus preferred to live a while longer.

“We camp for the night,” Zoe decided. She and Bianca produced enough sleeping bags and foam mattresses for all eight of them out of their backpacks.

“Those would have been nice to have when we were camped out in the woods,” Magnus grumbled.

Annabeth’s mouth twitched. “We were fine.”

Grover and Percy collected old boards from the ruined house, and Thalia zapped them with an electric shock to start a campfire. Magnus hadn’t gotten cold yet, but the others were shivering, so the fire was a welcome development.

“The stars are out,” Zoe said.

Percy and Annabeth exchanged a look. They smiled wistfully up at the stars.

“Amazing,” Bianca said. “I've never actually seen the Milky Way.”

“This is nothing,” Zoe said. “In the old days, there were more. Whole constellations have disappeared because of human light pollution.”

“You talk like you're not human,” Magnus said.

Zoe raised an eyebrow. “I am a Hunter. I care what happens to the wild places of the world. Can the same be said for thee?”

“For you,” Thalia corrected. “Not thee.”

“But you use you for the beginning of a sentence.”

“And for the end,” Thalia said. “No thou. No thee. Just you.”

Zoe threw up her hands in exasperation. “I hate this language. It changes too often!”

Grover sighed. He was still looking up at the stars like he was thinking about the light pollution problem. “If only Pan were here, he would set things right.”

Zoe nodded sadly.

“Maybe it was the coffee,” Grover said. “I was drinking coffee, and the wind came. Maybe if I drank more coffee...”

“You’ll find him,” Percy said with conviction.

Grover gave him a small smile. “Thanks, Percy.”

“Answers,” Zoe said suddenly, looking at Magnus. “Now.”

“What do you want to know?” Magnus asked, hoping his voice wasn’t shaking as bad as he was.

Zoe’s eyes honed in on his pendant. “That symbol, the sword you went to find, thy father. Who are you really?”

Thalia looked interested now.

“Magnus,” Annabeth said.

He shook his head. “It’s fine, Annabeth.” He looked at Zoe. “I think you know.”

“I want to hear it from thee,” Zoe said tersely.

“My father is Frey,” Magnus said quietly. “The Norse god of peace, fertility, wealth, rain, summer, and sunshine.”

Zoe inhaled sharply. “The sword. That is Sumarbrander?”

Magnus nodded silently.

Thalia held up her hands. “Norse god? But that’s not possible. The Greeks gods are real.”

“They co-exist,” Zoe admitted. “The gods try to keep our pantheons separated, but the Norse gods are as real as the Greek gods.” She looked at Magnus. “Alex is also Norse I assume?”

“Yeah,” Magnus said.

Bianca looked confused. “Why are you here then? If you and Alex are Norse, why come here to deal with Greek stuff?”

“For one, my cousin is Greek,” Magnus said, gesturing to Annabeth. “I help her if she needs it. For two, this wasn’t planned. Alex and I were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Alex was captured, so I’m here to save her.” His eyes widened. “Don’t tell her I said that. She’ll kill me.”

Zoe looked apologetic. “Never mind this now. You are here and on this quest. We should plan our next move. When we get through this junkyard, we must continue west. If we can find a road, we can hitchhike to the nearest city. I think that would be Las Vegas.”

“No!” Bianca, Nico, Percy, Grover, and Annabeth protested.

“Not there,” Bianca said, looking freaked out.

Zoe frowned. “Why?”

Bianca took a shaky breath. “I... I think we stayed there for a while. Nico and I. When we were traveling. And then, I can't remember...”

Grover looked pale. “Bianca. When you were in Vegas, did you stay at a place called the Lotus Hotel and Casino?”

Her eyes widened. “How could you know that?”

“Wait,” Thalia said. “What is the Lotus Casino?”

“Our first quest,” Annabeth began. “Percy, Grover, and I stopped there. It’s designed so you never want to leave. We stayed for about an hour, but when we came out, five days had passed.” She gave Bianca and Nico a sad look. “You can stay however long you like without ageing a day even though years pass outside.”

“No,” Bianca said, shaking her head. “No, that's not possible.”

Nico began to shift awkwardly under the incredulous looks.

“That’s freaky,” Magnus said, staring at his cousin. “So you’re really five days younger than you actually are?”

Annabeth glared at him. “Shut up, Magnus.”

Zoe sat forward, her eyebrows knit with concern. “You said that Washington, D.C., had changed when you went back last summer. You didn't remember the subway being there.”

“Yes, but—”

“Bianca,” Zoe said, “can you tell me the name of the president of the United States right now?”

“Don't be silly,” Bianca said. She named the correct president.

“And who was the president before that?” Zoe asked.

Bianca thought for a while. “Roosevelt.”

Zoe swallowed. “Theodore or Franklin?”

“Franklin,” Bianca said. “F.D.R.”

Magnus stared at the di Angelos. “Wait. So… what?”

“Bianca,” Zoe said. “F.D.R. was not the last president. That was about seventy years ago.”

“That's impossible,” Bianca said. “I... I'm not that old.” She stared at her hands as if to make sure they weren't wrinkled.

Nico hadn’t said anything, but he wrapped his sleeping bag tighter around himself.

“It’s okay, Bianca,” Annabeth said gently. “The important thing is you and Nico are safe. You made it out.”

“And Hades claimed them,” Thalia pointed out. “Annabeth, if I’m doing my math right, they were born  _ before _ the oath. Is it a coincidence that now they’ve escaped after Poseidon claimed Percy and I was pulled out of my tree?”

“Maybe because our father wants a claim on the big world ending prophecy?” Nico suggested sarcastically.

Bianca glanced around wildly. “That’s insane. You think Nico and I were brought out just so Hades could… could use us?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Annabeth said quickly. “Bianca, you’re immortal now. Even if you weren’t, Thalia  _ and _ Percy are older than you and Nico,” she faltered. “Physically, I mean. Besides, you can’t fight a prophecy. Whoever it is that is supposed to be who the prophecy is about is who the prophecy  _ will be _ about. Hades can’t force that to be you or Nico. Look, don’t worry about this right now, okay? We can figure this out when the time comes.”

Bianca nodded, looking like she was about to cry.

“So,” Percy began. “Exactly how caught up are you two on modern times because there are some things about the twenty-first century that you cannot be not knowing.”

Bianca gave a watery laugh. “I don’t know. I guess I never really questioned anything that might be different. I barely remember the… 1930s? 1940s?” she looked unsure.

“Have you seen Harry Potter?” Percy asked seriously. “Pirates of the Caribbean? Spiderman?”

Nico turned red as Bianca laughed.

“I sense a funny story,” Magnus grinned. “What is it?”

“I liked pirates,” Nico mumbled. “So, yes, we have seen Pirates of the Caribbean.”

Suddenly, they were hit with a blazing light from down the road. The headlights of a car appeared out of nowhere. A deathly white limousine slid to a stop in front of them.

The back door of the limo opened right next to Percy. Before he could step away, the point of a sword touched his throat.

Zoe and Bianca nocked arrows in their bows. Nico drew his sword and Annabeth pulled out her knife.

Percy backed away very slowly as the owner of the sword got out of the car.

“Not so fast now, are you, punk?” the man said with a cruel smile.

He was a big man with a crew cut, a black leather biker's jacket, black jeans, a white muscle shirt, and combat boots. Wraparound shades hid his eyes.

“Ares,” Percy growled.

Magnus didn’t feel much better. He wanted to punch this guy, Ares. He could feel his rage boiling up. He was angry at so many people and things. Angry at his mom for leaving him, angry at his dad, angry at his uncle Randolph for tricking him, angry at Alex for getting captured, angry at Loki, angry at Fenris. The list went on.

“At easy people,” Ares said, snapping his fingers.

Everyone’s weapons fell to the ground.

“This is a friendly meeting,” he continued, digging the point of his blade further under Percy’s chin. “Of course I’d like to take your head for a trophy, but I never behead my enemies in front of a lady.”

“What lady?” Thalia asked.

Ares looked over at her. “Well, well. I heard you were back.” He lowered his sword and pushed Percy away. “Thalia, daughter of Zeus,” Ares mused. “You're not hanging out with very good company.”

“What's your business, Ares?” she said. “Who's in the car?”

Ares smiled, enjoying the attention. “Oh, I doubt she wants to meet the rest of you. Particularly not them.” He jutted his chin toward Zoe and Bianca. His eyes fell on Magnus. “Now you, she would like to meet. Unfortunately, you’re a little bit too far out of her…  _ jurisdiction _ for her to do anything, but she did want me to tell you that she approves of  _ your _ reason to go on this quest.”

“My reason?” Magnus asked. “Who are you talking about? And what do you mean jurisdiction?”

“Aphrodite,” Percy said evenly. “Greek goddess of love and beauty. That’s who’s in the car, right?”

Nico made an odd squawk and he glanced around nervously like there was some monster on the edge of the darkness waiting to jump out and attack. Bianca gave him a concerned look and shifted closer to him. Magnus could see Annabeth’s and Percy’s jaws clench. Zoe’s lips pinched together in barely concealed irritation.

Ares chuckled at their reactions. “Why don’t you all go get some tacos while you wait. Only take Percy a few minutes.”

“Why me?” Percy asked suspiciously.

“For whatever reason, she likes you,” Ares waved a hand around. “I personally can’t see why, but she does. So she wants to talk to you.”

“Go on,” Percy sighed. “I’ll handle this.”

Annabeth hesitated. “You sure?”

“ALAWT,” Percy said. “But yeah, I’m sure.”

Annabeth nodded. “Okay. Come on.” She waved them over towards the taqueria.

Ares snapped his fingers and the lights inside the taqueria suddenly blazed to life. The boards flew off the door and the CLOSED sign flipped to OPEN.

“Take your time,” Ares called after them.

Magnus followed Annabeth to the taco restaurant. Once inside he could see Ares opening the door of the limo and Percy climbing inside. Ares stood outside the door like a guard.

It seemed like forever before Ares yanked Percy out of the car. He and Percy looked like they were arguing and Annabeth was about to lead them out of the restaurant to help Percy when Ares snapped his fingers.

Everything spun around Magnus.

Finally, the world stopped spinning and Magnus looked around. The limousine, the road, the taco restaurant, theo whole town of Gila Claw was gone. They were standing in the middle of the junkyard, mountains of scrap metal stretching out in every direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not going to lie, I wrote this chapter and working on BotL story I totally forgot Magnus admitted everything about Norse gods existing.
> 
> Onto other matters, I created a much more fleshed out timeline than the one I posted in Always Towards the Sun. It spans from 1926 (the year I estimate Bianca to be born) through 2011. I'm considering publishing it through Google docs, but I don't know how that works if anyone can help. I tried (funnily enough) googling it, but all I got was directions on how to do it. Can I update it if I need to? And my email and name and everything won't be visible will it? If it lets me update, that would be amazing because the Kane Chronicles and Magnus Chase and Trials of Apollo parts of the timeline are pretty basic. Like I'd need to reread and create the timeline as I go for those, but if it let's me update it then I can just publish it right now and then update as I go. Or even let people comment on it (does that work?) and tell me dates I have to add? I dunno. If anyone can tell me anything, please do.


	14. Toes. Why Did It Have to Be Toes? (Percy)

PERCY WAS REALLY STARTING TO BELIEVE that the gods had it out for him.

He was grateful that Aphrodite didn’t attempt to get him to go out and confess his undying love for Annabeth, although she did gush on and on about her favorite couple. Finally, she seemed to have gotten to the real reason she came.

Aphrodite’s eyes seemed to stare into his very soul. “My counterpart, dear Magnus’ aunt, has much more say in his life than I do. Now, don’t think I don’t like you, Percy! I love a good tragic love story and you and Annabeth are my favorite couple. But I’d rather like you two and Magnus to make it through this quest alive. Which is why,” she said, glancing out the window in the direction of the junkyard, “I am warning you. Be careful in my husband's territory, Percy. Don't take anything. He is awfully fussy about his trinkets and trash.”

Then the car door opened, and Ares pulled him from the limo.

“You’re lucky, punk.” Ares pushed Percy away from the limo. “Be grateful.”

“For what?” Percy demanded.

“That we're being so nice. If it was up to me—”

“You’d kill me?” Percy shot back.

Ares nodded. “I'd love to kill you, seriously,” he said. “But see, I got a situation. Word on Olympus is that you might start the biggest war in history.” He paused. “Well, you, Thalia, or old Corpse Breath’s kids. Zeus is pretty mad about them. Anyway, I can't risk messing that up. Besides, Aphrodite thinks you're some kinda soap-opera star or something. I kill you, that makes me look bad with her. But don't worry. I haven't forgotten my promise. Someday soon, kid—real soon—you're going to raise your sword to fight, and you're going to remember the wrath of Ares.”

“We’ll see about that,” Percy said evenly.

“Not bad, punk,” Ares grinned. “Fearless. I like that. Time to go.” He snapped his fingers and the world did a three-sixty, spinning in a cloud of red dust. Percy fell to the ground.

When he stood up again, the limousine was gone. The road, the taco restaurant, the whole town of Gila Claw was gone. Zoe, Bianca, Nico, Thalia, Grover, Annabeth, and Magnus were standing next to him in the middle of the junkyard, mountains of scrap metal stretched out in every direction.

“What did she want with you?” Bianca asked.

Percy’s eyes flickered to the scrap metal. “Don’t touch anything. She said to be careful in her husband’s junkyard and not to pick anything up.”

The temperature dropped around them. Nico was glaring at the mounds of junk around them.

Zoe narrowed her eyes. “The goddess of love made a trip to tell thee not to touch anything?”

“She also said she’s invested in some tragic love stories,” Percy added. “Magnus and I in particular.” He paused, realizing how that sounded. “I meant Magnus and someone and also me and someone else. So she wants the three of us to make it to the end of the quest.”

“Three?” Grover asked, grinning.

“Shut up,” Percy said, avoiding looking at Annabeth.

“Be careful, Percy,” Zoe said, finally. “Aphrodite has led many heroes astray.”

“For once I agree with Zoe,” Thalia said. “You can't trust Aphrodite.”

“Can we try and get out of this junkyard?” Nico snapped.

Zoe nodded. “We head that way,” she said, pointing. “That is west.”

They climbed up the crest of a junk mountain.

“Guys,” Grover said. “Look!”

Piles of metal objects glinted in the moonlight: broken heads of bronze horses, metal legs from human statues, smashed chariots, tons of shields and swords and other weapons, along with more modern stuff, like cars that gleamed gold and silver, refrigerators, washing machines, and computer monitors.

“Whoa,” Bianca said. “That stuff... some of it looks like real gold.”

“It is,” Thalia said grimly. “Like Percy said, don't touch anything. This is the junkyard of the gods.”

Annabeth glanced around in amazement. “I wonder if there are ancient relics here,” she murmured. “Things from Greece.”

“A lot of this is just junk,” Magnus said distastefully. “I mean, it’s a junkyard for a reason, right?”

“Junk?” Grover picked up a beautiful crown made of gold, silver, and jewels. It was broken on one side, as if it had been split by an axe. “You call this junk?” He bit off a point and began to chew. “It's delicious!”

Thalia swatted the crown out of his hands. “I'm serious!”

“Look!” Bianca said. She raced down the hill, tripping over bronze coils and golden plates. She picked up a bow that glowed silver in moonlight. “A Hunter's bow!” She yelped in surprise as the bow began to shrink, and became a hair clip shaped like a crescent moon. “It's just like Percy’s sword!”

Zoe's face was grim. “Leave it, Bianca.”

“But—”

“It is here for a reason. Anything thrown away in this junkyard must stay in this yard. It is defective. Or cursed.”

Bianca reluctantly set the hair clip down.

Nico let out a breath.

Annabeth was tense next to Percy like she was expecting a fight. Percy understood, the junkyard of the gods had this way of creeping you out.

“I don’t like this place,” Thalia said. She gripped the shaft of her spear. “Magnus and Zoe are right. Things get thrown away for a reason. Now come on, let’s get across this yard.”

They picked their way through the hills and valleys of junk. Percy, Magnus, and Zoe were quick to snap at anyone who dared to pick something up. Nico clutched Bianca’s hand like a lifeline the whole time. Thalia and Annabeth had their weapons drawn and their eyes darted around.

Finally, they saw the edge of the junkyard about half a mile ahead, the lights of a highway stretching through the desert. But between them and the road…

“What is that?” Bianca gasped.

A definite chill hung in the air now.

Ahead of them was a hill much bigger and longer than the others. It was like a metal mesa, the length of a football field and as tall as goalposts. At one end of the mesa was a row of ten thick metal columns, wedged tightly together.

Bianca frowned. “They look like—”

“Toes,” Grover said.

Bianca nodded. “Really, really large toes.”

Zoe and Thalia exchanged nervous looks.

“Let's go around,” Thalia said. “Far around.”

“Agreed,” Annabeth said.

_ Ping _ .

Thalia hefted her spear and Zoe drew her bow, but it was only Grover. He had thrown a piece of scrap metal at the toes and hit one, making a deep echo, as if the column were hollow.

“Why did you do that?” Zoe demanded.

“Dude!” Magnus protested. “Giving us all heart attacks!” His hand was wrapped around the pendant that hung around his neck.

“Not cool,” Nico glared. He tugged his sister away from the toes. Thalia and Zoe followed leaving the others no choice but to follow them.

After several minutes of walking, they finally stepped onto the highway, an abandoned but well-lit stretch of black asphalt.

“We made it out,” Zoe said. “Thank the gods.”

Percy wanted to deck Zoe for saying that. It was like asking the Fates to throw a harder challenge their way.

He was proven right when a sound like a thousand trash compactors crushing metal rose from the junkyard. A giant bronze statue in full Greek battle armor stood up.

“Talos!” Zoe gasped.

“Who's Talos?” Magnus screamed.

“One of Hephaestus's creations,” Thalia said. “But that can't be the original. It's too small. A prototype, maybe. A defective model.”

Nico whipped around to face Bianca. His eyes were wide with horror.

“Someone took something,” Zoe said. “Who took something?”

Bianca didn’t say anything. She looked guilty though, and Percy’s heart sank. He didn’t have much time to do anything though, because the giant took one step towards them, closing half the distance and making the ground shake.

“Run!” Grover yelped.

They split up. Magnus, Percy, and Bianca ran one way. Zoe and Thalia went another way. Grover, Nico, and Annabeth hurried a third way.

Thalia drew her shield and held it up as she ran down the highway, Zoe firing arrows at the creature’s face. The arrows bounced off the metal. The giant swung his sword and took out a row of power lines, which exploded in sparks and scattered across Thalia and Zoe’s path.

Grover took out his pipes and began playing a tune that caused plants to shoot up and wrap around Talos’ feet. They didn’t do much good, but it allowed him, Nico, and Annabeth time to scramble behind a mound of junk and Thalia and Zoe time to get away from the sparking power lines.

Percy, Magnus, and Bianca ducked behind a broken chariot.

“You took something,” Percy hissed to Bianca.

Magnus groaned. “That bow?”

“No!” Bianca protested, voice quivering.

“Give it back!” Magnus suggested. “Throw it down!”

“I… I didn’t take the bow!” Bianca stammered, running her hands through the end of her braid nervously. “And it’s too late.” She glanced over the top of the chariot.

Annabeth, Thalia, and Zoe were all attempting to fight Talos. Grover kept trying to trip the giant with plants, but they weren’t strong enough and just kept snapping when Talos took a step.

Magnus ripped off his pendant and his sword sprung to life. It hovered in front of them.

“Jack!” Magnus said.

“What’s up, señor?” Jack asked. “Whoa! Is that a giant metal dude?”

Magnus closed his eyes for a moment before opening them. “Jack, this is important. Can you take out that giant?”

Jack’s glow dimmed. “What’s it made of?”

“Celestial bronze,” Percy answered for Magnus. He prayed that Jack could do something.

Bianca gapped. “Is that a talking and floating sword?”

“Not important right now,” Magnus said. “Jack, can you do it?”

“No can do, señor,” Jack said. “Celestial bronze… it makes some fine swords, but I can’t cut through it. Dent it? Sure. But if you want me to destroy that thing… no way.” He turned towards Bianca. “A Hunter of Artemis! Does that maidenhood vow extend to your weapons?” he asked, to Bianca’s surprise and confusion.

Magnus rolled his eyes and returned Jack to pendant form with a sigh. “Anyone have a plan b?”

Bianca bit her lip. “I think I might,” she said, glancing at the giant. “Just… hang on.” She took her backpack off and held it out to Percy. “Hold onto this for me?”

“Bianca-”

“I got this,” Bianca flashed him a confident smile. “Backpack will only slow me down.”

A massive creaking noise interrupted them and a shadow blotted out the sky.

“Move!” Percy yelled, pulling Bianca and Magnus away from the chariot just as the giant's foot smashed a crater in the ground where they’d been hiding.

“Hey, Talos!” Grover yelled, but the monster raised his sword, looking down at Bianca, Magnus, and Percy.

Grover played a quick melody on his pipes. Over at the highway, the downed power lines began to dance. One of the poles with power lines still attached flew toward Talos's back leg and wrapped around his calf. The lines sparked and sent a jolt of electricity up the giant's backside. Talos whirled around, creaking and sparking.

“Come on!” Magnus called, waving Percy and Bianca to join the others.

Bianca stayed where she was. She pushed her backpack into Percy’s hands. “Go!” she said. “I can do this!”

Bianca ran away from the group and came to a stop about thirty yards away.

“Hey!” she shouted, waving her arms. “HEY!” She picked up a piece of junk and hurled it at Talos.

The junk bounced off his metal skin harmlessly, but it got his attention.

“I’m right here!” Bianca yelled. “Come and get me!”

“What is she doing?” Zoe screeched. “Bianca!”

“Get it to raise it’s foot!” Bianca called to the others. “I have a plan!”

Zoe cursed, but she fired off a volley of arrows that distracted Talos long enough for Bianca to jump up and swing herself into the giant’s foot.

Grover played his pipes frantically, and his music sent a power line pole whacking against Talos’ thigh. The monster turned. Grover should’ve run, but he was too exhausted from the effort of so much magic. He took two steps, fell, and didn’t get back up.

“Where is Bianca?” Zoe demanded, loosing arrow after arrow, no matter how little it did to hurt Talos.

Thalia and Percy rushed towards Grover as the monster raised his sword to smash Grover. He froze. Then, Talos started moving his arms and legs in weird ways, doing the Funky Chicken. He made a fist and punched himself in the face.

Zoe made a strangled noise. “She is  _ inside _ ?”

“That was her plan?” Magnus yelped. “Is she crazy? She’s going to-”

“Look out!” Annabeth yelled.

Percy and Thalia dragged Grover towards the highway. Zoe covered them with arrows that still weren’t doing anything.

The giant hit himself in the head again and dropped his sword. A shudder ran through his whole body and he staggered towards the power lines.

“No!” Percy shouted.

The giant's ankle snared the lines, and blue flickers of electricity shot up his body. The giant careened back into the junkyard, and his right hand fell off, landing in the scrap metal with a horrible  _ CLANG!  _ His left arm came loose, too. He was falling apart at the joints. Talos began to run.

“After it!” Zoe yelled.

They ran after him, but they couldn’t keep up. Pieces of the robot kept falling off and getting in the way. The giant crumbled from the top down: his head, his chest, and finally, his legs collapsed.

When they reached the wreckage, Zoe scrambled around, yelling Bianca’s name.

“Stop! Just… stop.”

Nico was standing there, staring at the broken robot. His hands were clenched at his side and he was glaring at the remains, lips pressed together. Percy didn't know where Nico had been through the whole fight, but he didn't blame the kid if he had wanted to be anywhere but there.

“We can find her,” Magnus protested. “She’s here.”

“No,” Nico said tightly. “She’s not.” His eyes fell on the silver backpack Bianca had pushed into Percy’s hands. “If she was…” he trailed off. “I felt it. She’s… she’s not here.”

Zoe sat down and wept. Thalia yelled in rage and impaled her sword in the giant’s smashed face.

Grover buried his face in his hands. “It happened just like the prophecy said. How could we have been so stupid.”

“One shall be lost in the land without rain,” Annabeth recited, face pale. “We’re in the desert. Oh gods. Nico, I…”

Nico ignored her. He stared off in the distance. “I… I’ll be right back. I just… give me a minute.” He wandered off between the piles of junk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Jack did not ask Zoe about dating the Hunters' weapons, but I did see a comment asking about this so I decided to throw that in here when Magnus brings Jack out in front of Bianca.
> 
> I so wanted to save Bianca, but it wasn't going to work out in this story. As for where Nico's was, you'll find that out later.


	15. Problems of the Dam Kind (Percy)

PERCY KEPT BIANCA’S BACKPACK. He sat in the sand, staring at the last remaining piece of Bianca di Angelo’s life.

Nico returned after a half-hour. His eyes were red, but he appeared otherwise okay. He took Bianca’s bag from Percy and pulled out some of the sleeping bags they had hastily packed up when Ares and Aphrodite arrived. He climbed into one himself and fell asleep quickly, still holding onto Bianca’s bag.

Zoe seemed too emotionally exhausted to argue with the idea of resting, so she climbed into her own sleeping back moments later. Grover and Thalia were eager enough to follow suit, leaving Magnus, Percy, and Annabeth the only ones awake.

“I shouldn’t have let her come,” Percy said. “I should have told her no.”

“Someone was going to die here, Percy,” Annabeth said gently. “You can’t change that. The prophecy… it always wanted this to happen.”

“She’s right,” Magnus said. “Don’t beat yourself up. If anything, I should have sent Jack to do some damage even if it was only one dent at a time.”

Percy just climbed into his own sleeping bag and turned over.

* * *

When they woke up the next morning, no one said much. They found a tow truck at the edge of the dump with a full tank of gas. Thalia climbed into the driver’s seat and Grover squished into the middle between her and Zoe. The backseat was a little more crowded with Magnus, Percy, Annabeth, and Nico squeezed into the row.

Nico pulled something out of Bianca’s bag and turned it over in his hands. He had an unreadable expression on his face.

“Stupid,” Nico mumbled, looking down at the small figurine in his hand.

They drove in silence through the desert, under clear blue skies until the truck finally ran out of gas at the edge of a river canyon.

Thalia got out and slammed the door. Immediately, one of the tires blew. “Great. What now?”

“We go on foot,” Percy said, not really waiting for anyone to follow him despite Grover’s protests that there was a path to the river.

They walked about half a mile before coming to an easier slope that led down to the water. On the shore was a canoe rental operation that was closed for the season, but Annabeth dropped a handful of cash on the counter and a note saying IOU three canoes.

“We need to go upstream,” Zoe said. “The rapids are too swift.”

“Leave that to me,” Percy said, putting the canoes in the water.

Magnus, Annabeth, and Thalia got into one canoe while Nico and Grover got into another. That left Percy to share with Zoe. Something he wasn’t exactly looking forward to.

Percy glanced over the edge of the boat and looked down at the naiads staring at him.

_Hey_ , he said. _We're heading upstream_ . _Do you think you could_ —

Before he could finish, the naiads each chose a canoe and began pushing them up the river.

“I hate naiads,” Zoe grumbled.

A stream of water squirted up from the back of the boat and hit Zoe in the face.

“She-devils!” Zoe went for her bow.

“Whoa,” Percy said. “They're just playing.”

“Cursed water spirits. They've never forgiven me.”

Percy didn’t say anything.

Zoe glanced at him. “You know where we are going.” It wasn’t a question.

“I have some idea,” Percy admitted.

Zoe nodded slowly. “The prophecy. _Against all odds he knows the way_. That is you?” She didn’t mention the line that followed it.

“The Mountain of Despair,” Percy finally said. “That’s where they are. Artemis and Alex, I mean.”

“And Bianca? Did you know?”

Percy hesitated. “It’s no one’s fault, Zoe. Bianca made that choice.”

Zoe stared at the water distantly. “I have a feeling you know much, Percy Jackson. You offered me the choice to come on this quest, but you know where we will end up. You know who waits for us.”

“Why did you accept?”

“Artemis is in danger,” Zoe said. “Your friend Magnus is doing the same for his friend Alex, is he not?”

Percy shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. I’m just here because, well, other than the fact that I was given a prophecy, Magnus and Alex are my friends.” He paused. “I guess that’s my fatal flaw or whatever. Loyalty to my friends. People I care about.”

Zoe smiled. “Loyalty is not a bad thing, Percy.”

“You’re my friend too,” Percy said. “Everyone here is. I’ve been told that to save a friend I would sacrifice the world. I have a hard time stepping back.”

Zoe didn’t say anything.

The cliffs along the river were getting taller. Long shadows fell across the water, making it a lot colder, even though the day was bright.

Percy pulled out Riptide. “The guy you gave this to. He’s a jerk.”

Zoe let out a small laugh. “Of course you know that. I am glad to see you use his weapon and his coat. You deserve them far more than he did.”

_Gurgle, gurgle_ , the naiad spoke in Percy’s mind. The canoe was slowing down.

Percy glanced down the river. They had arrived at the Hoover Dam.

* * *

“Hoover Dam,” Thalia said, staring up at it. “It’s huge.”

They stood at the river's edge, looking up at a curve of concrete that loomed between the cliffs. People were walking along the top of the dam. They were so tiny they looked like fleas.

“Seven hundred feet tall,” Percy said. “Built in the 1930s.”

“Five million cubic acres of water,” Thalia said.

Grover sighed. “Largest construction project in the United States.”

Annabeth beamed. “You guys listen!”

“You probably blab nonstop about monuments all the time,” Magnus snorted.

“We have to look around!” Annabeth said, eyes shining.

It was the most excited anyone had looked since the night before, and no one really had the heart to crush Annabeth’s heart.

They walked for almost an hour before finding a path that led up to the road. It came up on the east side of the river. Then they straggled back toward the dam. It was cold and windy on top. On one side, a big lake spread out, ringed by barren desert mountains. On the other side, the dam dropped away like the world's most dangerous skateboard ramp, down to the river seven hundred feet below, and water that churned from the dam's vents.

Nico looked very out of place in his black skull shirt and aviator jacket complete with a very girly looking silver backpack. He glanced around and shared a look with Grover.

“How close?” Annabeth asked.

“Close,” Nico answered. “All eight remaining ones. I can probably take care of them, but I don’t know if I can stay awake much longer after that.” He didn’t look very confident about that. He looked at something and did a double take. “What is that?”

They glanced over to see two big bronze statues carved into the side of the cliff.

“Those are the guardians,” Thalia said, a little bitterly. “They were dedicated to Zeus when the dam was built. A gift from Athena.”

“Tourists rub the toes for good luck,” Annabeth added.

Thalia shrugged. “They don’t really do anything. Anyway, there’s a snack bar in the visitor center.”

Zoe nodded. “Let us find the dam snack bar,” she said. “We should eat while we can.”

Grover cracked a smile. “The dam snack bar?”

Zoe blinked. “Yes. What is funny?”

“Nothing,” Grover said, trying to keep a straight face. “I could use some dam french fries.”

Even Thalia smiled at that. “And I need to use the dam restroom.”

“Well, I want dam falafel,” Magnus muttered.

Annabeth covered his mouth, trying not to laugh.

“I do not understand,” Zoe said.

“I want to use the dam water fountain,” Percy joined in.

“And...” Thalia tried to catch her breath. “I want to buy a dam T-shirt.”

“Can we just save a dam goddess and demigod?” Nico grumbled.

Everyone except Zoe and Nico was laughing.

“Moooo.”

Grover frowned. “Did I just hear a cow?”

“A dam cow?” Thalia laughed.

“No,” Grover said. “I'm serious.”

Zoe listened. “I hear nothing.”

“Let’s just go do our sightseeing so we can get out of here,” Percy said.

Nico nodded. “I agree. Food and we can figure out how to get a ride from here.”

Thalia started to lead the way to the visitor center. Zoe and Grover followed her closely with Nico pausing a moment before following them. Percy, Annabeth, and Magnus trailed behind them.

“Have you had any more dreams?” Percy asked Magnus lowly. “About Alex or anything?”

Magnus shook his head. “No. I was worried that, well, I was worried I might get some after I got Jack, but so far I haven’t had any dreams. I don’t really know which is more terrifying.”

“We’ll find her,” Annabeth said. “We just have to- Percy!”

Percy grabbed Annabeth and Magnus and pulled them toward the museum entrance. Two gray camouflage-wearing skeletons chased after them. A black van squealed to a stop in the middle of the road and more skeletons piled out.

“Hurry!” Percy said, bolting into the museum and past the metal detector.

Annabeth and Magnus ran after him. They managed to slip into an elevator with a tour group just as the doors closed.

“We'll be going down seven hundred feet,” the tour guide said cheerfully. She was a park ranger, with long black hair pulled back in a ponytail and tinted glasses. “Don't worry, ladies and gentlemen, the elevator hardly ever breaks.”

“Reassuring,” Magnus muttered.

The tour guide looked at him but said nothing.

The elevator doors opened and the tourists began to pile out.

“Now what?” Magnus whispered. “We’re stuck.”

“Go right ahead, folks,” the tour guide said. “Another ranger is waiting for you at the end of the corridor.”

Percy, Annabeth, and Magnus shuffled out of the elevator.

“And young man,” the tour guide called. She’d taken off her glasses and her gray eyes pierced them. “There is always a way out for those clever enough to find it.” Her eyes glanced in Annabeth’s direction briefly as the doors closed with the tour guide still inside.

Annabeth gasped. “Mom?”

Magnus choked. “That was your mom?”

“I don’t know. I think so.”

A ding came from around the corner. Another elevator was opening, and the sound of clattering skeleton teeth rattled. Percy, Annabeth, and Magnus took off after the tour group, hoping to lose the skeletons.

By the time they reached an empty hallway, their nerves were shot. Magnus kept twitching like he wanted to draw Jack. Percy gripped Riptide in pen form so tightly his knuckles were white. Annabeth had her dagger out, so Percy really hoped any mortal saw a cell phone.

From behind them, they heard a sharp _Chhh!_ Like the voice of a skeleton.

Percy spun around, uncapping Riptide, swinging his sword. Annabeth raised her dagger and backed up to Percy. Magnus’ hand flew to his pendant.

The girl behind them yelped and dropped her Kleenex.

“Oh my god!” she shouted. “What are you doing? Do you always bring out weapons when people blow their nose?”

Magnus tilted his head like he recognized the girl. “Um… the sword didn’t kill you?”

“She’s mortal,” Annabeth hissed.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” the girl demanded. “Of course I’m mortal! How did you get that sword past security? And why didn't it hurt me? I mean, not that I'm complaining. Who are you? And whoa, what is that you're wearing? Is that made of lion fur?”

“Who is this?” Magnus whispered, glancing back nervously.

She huffed indignantly. “Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Now, are you going to answer my questions or should I scream for security?”

“Don’t do that,” Percy said, looking alarmed. “We’re kind of in a hurry. We’re in trouble.”

“In a hurry or in trouble?”

“Um, sort of both.”

She looked over their shoulders and her eyes widened. “Bathroom!”

“What?” Magnus asked.

“Bathroom! Behind me! Now!”

Percy didn’t hesitate. Neither did Annabeth. They both grabbed Magnus and pulled him into the boys’ bathroom.

“What are you doing?” Magnus asked them.

“Shhh!” Annabeth said.

Rachel Dare’s voice filled the room. “Oh my god! Did you see those kids? It’s about time you got here. They tried to kill me! One of them had a sword and another had a knife. You security guys let sword-swinging lunatics inside a national landmark? I mean, jeez! They ran that way toward those turbine thingies. I think they went over the side or something. Maybe they fell.”

The skeletons clattered excitedly and moved off.

Rachel opened the door. “All clear. But you'd better hurry.” She looked shaken. Her face was gray and sweaty.

“We owe you one, Rachel,” Percy said.

“What are those things?” she asked. “They looked like-”

“Skeletons?” Annabeth supplied.

Rachel nodded uneasily.

Percy opened his mouth to explain, but Magnus cut him off. “Percy, we gotta go.”

He glanced over to see the skeletons had turned around.

Percy, Annabeth, and Magnus took off at a sprint, leaving a confused Rachel Elizabeth Dare behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the dam "dam" jokes. They should sell t-shirts at Hoover Dam with that quote. I would go to Hoover Dam just to buy one no joke.
> 
> Anyway, I was going to have them not swing at Rachel, but then there was no explanation for them knowing she's mortal without having sent Celestial bronze through her without hurting her. And of course we want Rachel to be in this series to be the Oracle later, so I needed to introduce her to the Greek world now.


	16. Meet the Metal Angels From Mars (Magnus)

“WHERE IN HADES’ NAME HAVE YOU BEEN?” THALIA DEMANDED when Percy, Annabeth, and Magnus ran into them in the cafeteria.

“We need to leave,” Percy gasped. “Now!”

Nico straightened up. “They’re here. Percy’s right. We need to get out of here. I can hold the skeletons off, but we need a plan.”

Zoe stood up, muttering something in what Magnus assumed was Greek. “Look.”

The skeleton warriors were armed with batons and pistols, and they were blocking any route to escape. Two were on the east side of the dam road, blocking the way to Arizona. Two more on the west side, guarding Nevada. And the two warriors who had been chasing them in the turbine room appeared on the stairs.

“Elevator!” Grover said.

Too late, the doors opened with a ding, and two more warriors stepped out. Every warrior was accounted for, minus the ones Bianca and Nico had taken care of in New Mexico.

Grover and Magnus exchanged looks, and together they picked up food off a table.

“Burrito fight!” they yelled, flinging Guacamole Grandes at the nearest skeletons.

Magnus could personally attest to how deadly burrito projectiles were. Dinner to the death had been particularly dangerous the one time they had decided to have Taco Tuesday.

The kids went crazy and started throwing their burritos and baskets of chips and sodas at each other, shrieking and screaming. The skeletons tried to aim their guns, but it was hopeless. Bodies and food and drinks were flying everywhere.

In the chaos, Thalia and Percy managed to corral the four skeletons inside the cafe to the same spot where Nico raised his sword and fire shot up from a chasm beneath the skeletons. The poor kid looked wiped out after that, but he managed to stumble along as they made their escape.

“What now?” Grover asked as they burst outside. “There’s still four skeletons.”

“So I could try and knock their weapons out of their hands,” Magnus said as they ran. “It’s this cool trick I can do with my dad’s powers.”

“Do that!” Thalia shouted.

“But that would also knock your weapons out of your hands,” Magnus added.

Zoe clutched her bow tightly. “Don’t do that. We will think of another way.”

“It’s been nice adventuring with you guys,” Grover said, voice trembling as the remaining four skeletons backed them against the wall with the statues.

“Thalia, pray to your dad!” Annabeth ordered.

“What?” Magnus said, glancing over at her. He blinked when a bright light reflected into his eyes “Whoa. Their toes are really bright.” He squinted at the statues with shiny toes.

Thalia huffed. “This isn’t the time, Magnus. And my dad  _ never _ answers. Why would he now?”

“Just do it!” Percy pleaded. “Annabeth’s right. Ask for help. I think... I think the statues can give us some luck.”

The skeletons raised their guns. Nico hefted his sword weakly and pointed it at them.

“Go. Away,” he said. It sounded pretty pathetic, and Magnus was pretty sure even the meanest bully on the playground couldn’t convince anyone to listen to them with that kind of voice. Nico sounded like he had the wind knocked out of him. Repeatedly.

“Try it!” Grover and Zoe shouted at Thalia.

Thalia scowled and closed her eyes. Her lips moved in a silent prayer. Nothing happened. Magnus really hoped that wasn’t because of him and Nico.

The skeletons closed in. Percy raised Riptide while Annabeth pulled out her knife at his side. Thalia held up her shield. Zoe pushed Grover who was supporting Nico behind her and aimed an arrow at a skeleton’s head. Magnus brought Jack out and gripped the hilt tight.

“Ah, señor, let go!” Jack protested.

“Not right now, Jack,” Magnus said through gritted teeth. He was hoping not to draw too much attention to Jack for the next few years.

A shadow fell over them. The skeletons looked up too late. A flash of bronze, and all four skeletons were swept aside. The bronze angels had come to life.

“Man, it feels good to stand up!” the first angel said. His voice sounded tinny and rusty, like he hadn't had a drink since he'd been built.

“Will ya look at my toes?” the other said. “Holy Zeus, what were those tourists thinking?”

By now, the skeletons had started to get up again, reassembling, bony hands groping for their weapons.

“Trouble!” Percy said.

“Get us out of here!” Thalia yelled.

Both angels looked down at her. “Zeus's kid?”

“Yes!”

“Could I get a please, Miss Zeus's Kid?” an angel asked.

“Please!”

The angels looked at each other and shrugged.

“Could use a stretch,” one decided.

One of the statues grabbed Thalia and Percy in one hand and Magnus and Nico in the other. The other statue grabbed Annabeth and Grover with one hand and Zoe in the other. They flew straight up, over the dam and the river, the skeleton warriors shrinking to tiny specks below and the sound of gunfire echoing off the sides of the mountains. Magnus and Percy returned their swords to pendant form and pen form respectively.

Thalia looked like she was trying not to have a panic attack. Her eyes were shut tight and she held onto Percy’s arm in one hand and the statue in the other.

“Where are we?” Magnus shouted over the winds.

“We are in the Sierras.'” Zoe yelled. “I have hunted here before. At this speed, we should be in San Francisco in a few hours.”

“Hey, hey, Frisco!” the angel carrying Magnus said. “Yo, Chuck! We could visit those guys at the Mechanics Monument again! They know how to party!”

“Oh, man,” the other angel said. “I am so there!”

“You guys have visited San Francisco?” Magnus asked incredulously.

“We automatons gotta have some fun once in a while, right?” the statue said. “Those mechanics took us over to the de Young Museum and introduced us to these marble lady statues, see. And—”

“Hank!” the other statue Chuck cut in. “They're kids, man.”

“Oh, right,” Hank said with what Magnus was pretty sure was a blush. “Back to flying.”

The mountains fell away into hills, and then they were zipping along over farmland and towns and highways.

Grover played his pipes to pass the time. Zoe got bored and started shooting arrows at random billboards as they flew by. Every time she saw a Target department store she would peg the store's sign with a few bulls-eyes at a hundred miles an hour.

“Percy?” Magnus finally asked.

“Hmm?” Percy glanced over.

“That girl. She could see your sword and Annabeth’s knife. How is that possible?”

Percy shrugged. “Some mortals are like that. They can see through the Mist. Glamour as you would call it. My mom’s like that. I’ve never really met anyone else like that until today.”

Thalia groaned. “Must be nice to be a regular mortal.” Her eyes were still shut.

“I don’t know about that,” Magnus said distantly. “My friend… well, I had a friend whose life got pretty messed up because her family couldn’t see through the… Mist. In my experience, the mortals are just collateral damage to gods and monsters. I don’t think that’s very fair.”

It was a while before the statues spoke again.

“Where you guys want to land?” Hank asked, jolting Magnus.

“Whoa,” Magnus gasped, looking down.

Down below was a city surrounded by green hills and fog. There was a huge bay and ships, islands and sailboats, and the Golden Gate Bridge sticking up out of the fog.

“There,” Zoe suggested. “By the Embarcadero Building.”

“Good thinking,” Chuck said. “Me and Hank can blend in with the pigeons.”

Everyone cast incredulous looks at him.

“Kidding,” he said. “Sheesh, can't statues have a sense of humor?”

Luckily, there wasn’t much need to blend in. It was early morning by the time they arrived in San Francisco, so not many people were around. They freaked out a homeless guy on the ferry dock when they landed. He screamed when he saw Hank and Chuck and ran off yelling something about metal angels from Mars.

“West Coast,” Thalia said, looking around. “Now what?” she asked Percy.

“Find Nereus,” Grover said. “Isn’t that what Apollo told you to do?”

Percy nodded. “Yeah.” He sounded reluctant though.

“Tomorrow’s the winter solstice,” Nico pointed out. “Shouldn’t we focus on finding Artemis instead of some old sea god?”

“Nereus can tell us what the monster is,” Thalia said. “I mean the prophecy said  _ The bane of Olympus’ life to save _ .”

“ _ And start your journey to preserve or raze _ ,” Annabeth finished.

“We should find out what the monster is,” Zoe determined. “That is most important. Artemis was hunting it. If we must save it’s life, we must know what it is.”

Percy looked uncomfortable, and Magnus thought that maybe Percy knew what the monster was supposed to be.

“Okay,” Percy said finally. “How do I find him?”

Zoe made a face. “Unfortunately, he is never very hard to find. Just follow the smell. Come,” she said without enthusiasm. “I will show thee.”

* * *

When Zoe stopped at the Goodwill drop box and dug out old ragged clothes, Magnus questioned her.

“Nereus will be among the homeless,” Zoe explained. “If Percy is to get answers from him, he will need to blend in and take Nereus by surprise.”

“I can do it,” Magnus supplied. “I… well…” he trailed off. He didn’t have a good explanation for why he should be a better candidate than Percy.

Percy patted him. “Thanks for volunteering, but I gotta do this.” He slipped into the ragged flannel shirt and jeans three sizes too big. The bright red sneakers and floppy rainbow hat really completed the look.

“Oh, yeah,” Grover said, trying not to bust out laughing, “you look completely inconspicuous now.”

Even Nico and Annabeth were having a difficult time trying not to laugh. Thalia had no such problems. She was doubled over laughing.

Zoe nodded with satisfaction. “A typical male vagrant.”

“Thanks a lot,” Percy grumbled. “Is it too late to take up Magnus on his offer?”

“Yeah,” Magnus said cheerfully. “I’m not wearing that.”

Zoe led Percy to a pier where a bunch of homeless guys were huddled together in blankets, waiting for the soup kitchen to open for lunch.

“He will be down there somewhere,” Zoe said. “He never travels very far from the water. He likes to sun himself during the day.”

“How do I know which one is him?”

“Sneak up,” she said. “Act homeless. You will know him. He will smell... different.”

“Great,” Percy said sarcastically. “And once I find him?”

“Grab him,” Zoe said. “And hold on. He will try anything to get rid of thee. Whatever he does, do not let go. Force him to tell thee about the monster.”

“We’ve got your back,” Thalia said. She picked something off the back of Percy’s shirt. “Eww. On second thought… I don’t want your back. But we’ll be rooting for you.”

Grover gave him a big thumbs-up.

Percy grumbled a bit then headed down towards the dock. They watched him pass a few homeless guys before finally reaching the end of the pier. He stopped briefly and then sat down next to the old guy. Suddenly, he jumped at the guy.

The old guy and Percy rolled around, wrestling before the old guy, Nereus, jumped off the edge of the pier and into the water. They didn’t see them until a killer whale burst out of the water with Percy hanging onto the dorsal fin. In true Percy fashion, the son of Poseidon waved.

Magnus snorted along with Annabeth.

A few minutes later, Percy and Nereus climbed out onto the edge of the boat dock. Magnus and the others rushed over to meet them. Percy looked pale, like he was exhausted from the effort.

“You got him!” Zoe said.

“You don't have to sound so amazed,” Percy said.

Nereus moaned. “Oh, wonderful. An audience for my humiliation! The normal deal, I suppose? You'll let me go if I answer your question?”

“Tell us where to find this terrible monster that could bring an end to the gods. The one Artemis was hunting,” Percy said.

Nereus smiled, showing off his mossy green teeth. “Oh that’s too easy,” he said evilly. “He’s right there.” Nereus pointed to the water.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Questions about which books this series will include. I plan on including TTC, BotL, TLO, MoA, HoH, BoO, SoS, HoT, and SotD for sure at this point. At the very least, the rest of the PJO and MCGA books.
> 
> Oh dear, Percy. Apollo told you to talk to Nereus, but I think he meant to ask about the Greek/Norse issue you've got going on. Perhaps you should have held off on mentioning this to anyone who doesn't know about the whole time travel thing. Oh well. I'm sure you'll figure something out.


	17. Thalia Almost Ends the World and Magnus is Tempted to Stab a God (Magnus)

“WHERE?” MAGNUS ASKED.

“The deal is complete!” Nereus gloated. With a pop, he turned into a goldfish and did a backflip into the sea.

Magnus gapped. “He didn’t answer the question.”

“Wait,” Thalia said, eyes wide. “What is that?”

“MOOOOOOOO!”

Magnus looked at the water and saw a cow serpent. He was surprised by the lack of his own reaction.

“Hey, Bessie,” Percy said to the cow serpent, apparently named Bessie.

“Mooo!”

Grover gasped. “He says his name isn't Bessie.”

“You can understand him?” Magnus asked, looking at Grover. He wondered why he couldn’t understand Bessie, but maybe Greek creatures were different. Or maybe he didn’t have that ability anymore.

Grover nodded. “It's a very old form of animal speech. But he says his name is the Ophiotaurus.”

“The Ophi-what?” Nico asked with a frown.

“It means serpent bull in Greek,” Thalia said. “But what's it doing here?”

“Moooooooo!”

“He says Percy is his protector,” Grover announced. “And he's running from the bad people. He says they are close.”

“Wait,” Zoe said, looking at Percy. “You know this cow?”

Percy shrugged. “Well, yeah. I saved him, I dunno, like, a couple hours before we left Camp?”

Thalia shook her head in disbelief. “And you just forgot to mention this before? A prophecy that says one of us will save the bane of Olympus’ life and you go and save something but don’t tell us?”

“Well… yeah,” Percy said awkwardly. “I mean, it didn’t seem very important.”

“I am a fool,” Zoe said. “I know this story!”

“What story?” Magnus complained. “Can we please explain for the non-Greek on the pier?”

“From the War of the Titans,” she said. “My… my father told me this tale, thousands of years ago. This is the beast we are looking for.”

“A cow serpent is going to destroy the world?” Magnus asked incredulously.

“That is how we were wrong,” Zoe said. “We've been anticipating a huge dangerous monster, but the Ophiotaurus does not bring down the gods that way. He must be sacrificed.”

“MMMM,” Bessie lowed.

“I don't think he likes the S-word,” Grover said.

Percy patted Bessie on the head, trying to calm him down.

“The Fates ordained a prophecy eons ago, when this creature was born,” Zoe continued. “They said that whoever killed the Ophiotaurus and sacrificed its entrails to fire would have the power to destroy the gods.”

“MMMMMM!”

“Um,” Grover said. “Maybe we could avoid talking about entrails, too.”

Thalia stared at the cow serpent with wonder. “The power to destroy the gods... how? I mean, what would happen?”

“No one knows,” Zoe said. “The first time, during the Titan war, the Ophiotaurus was in fact slain by a giant ally of the Titans, but thy father, Zeus, sent an eagle to snatch the entrails away before they could be tossed into the fire. It was a close call. Now, after three thousand years, the Ophiotaurus is reborn.”

Thalia sat down on the dock. She stretched out her hand. Bessie went right to her. Thalia placed her hand on his head. Bessie shivered. Thalia's expression bothered Magnus. She almost looked... hungry.

“We have to protect him,” Percy said. “If Luke gets hold of him—”

“Luke wouldn't hesitate,” Thalia muttered. “The power to overthrow Olympus. That's… that's huge.”

“Yes, it is, my dear,” said a man's voice in a heavy French accent. “And it is a power you shall unleash.”

The Ophiotaurus made a whimpering sound and submerged.

They all turned around to see Dr. Thorn. Nico and Magnus scowled at the manticore.

“This is just pairrr-fect,” the manticore gloated.

He was wearing a ratty black trench coat over his Westover Hall uniform, which was torn and stained. His military haircut had grown out spiky and greasy. He hadn't shaved recently, so his face was covered in silver stubble. Basically he didn't look much better than the guys down at the soup kitchen.

“Long ago, the gods banished me to Persia,” the manticore said. “I was forced to scrounge for food on the edges of the world, hiding in forests, devouring insignificant human farmers for my meals. I never got to fight any great heroes. I was not feared and admired in the old stories! But now that will change. The Titans shall honor me, and I shall feast on the flesh of half-bloods!”

On either side of him stood two armed security guys, some of the mortal mercenaries from D.C. Two more stood on the next boat dock over, just in case they tried to escape that way. There were tourists all around—walking down the waterfront, shopping at the pier above—but that wouldn't stop the manticore from acting.

“You took Alex,” Magnus said through gritted teeth. “I’ll kill you.”

Thorn sneered. “Ha! You could barely fight me with a goddess on your side. And, alas… that goddess is preoccupied at the moment. There will be no help for you now.”

Zoe notched an arrow and aimed it straight at the manticore's head. The guards on either side of them raised their guns.

“Wait!” Annabeth said. “Zoe, don't!”

The manticore smiled. “The girl is right, Zoe Nightshade. Put away your bow. It would be a shame to kill you before you witnessed Thalia's great victory.”

“What are you talking about?” Thalia growled. She had her shield and spear ready.

“Surely it is clear,” the manticore said. “This is your moment. This is why Lord Kronos brought you back to life. You will sacrifice the Ophiotaurus. You will bring its entrails to the sacred fire on the mountain. You will gain unlimited power. And for your sixteenth birthday, you will overthrow Olympus.”

Magnus glanced between Thalia, Percy, and Nico. According to the conversation days ago back at Camp Half-Blood, a child of the Big Three would be involved in something major when he or she turned sixteen. Thalia was days away from turning sixteen.

Thalia looked stunned.

“You know it is the right choice,” the manticore told her. “Your friend Luke recognized it. You shall be reunited with him. You shall rule this world together under the auspices of the Titans. Your father abandoned you, Thalia. He cares nothing for you. And now you shall gain power over him. Crush the Olympians underfoot, as they deserve. Call the beast! It will come to you. Use your spear.”

“Thalia,” Percy said, “snap out of it!”

She looked at him like she didn't know him. “I... I don't—”

“Your father helped you,” Annabeth said. “He sent the metal angels. He turned you into a tree to preserve you.” Her voice quivered as she said that like she was reliving bad memories.

Thalia’s hand tightened on the shaft of her spear.

Grover played a quick riff on his pipes.

The manticore yelled, “Stop him!”

Too late, the wooden planks at the guards’ feet sprouted branches and tangles their legs. Zoe let loose two quick arrows that exploded at their feet in clouds of sulfurous yellow smoke. The guards started coughing. The manticore shot spines towards the demigods, but they ricocheted off Percy’s lion's coat.

“Grover,” Percy said, “tell Bessie to dive deep and stay down!”

“Moooooo!” Grover translated.

“The cow...” Thalia muttered, still in a daze.

“Come on!”

Percy pulled her along as they ran up the stairs to the shopping center on the pier. They dashed around the corner of the nearest store. Tourists screamed as the guards shot blindly into the air. They scrambled to the end of the pier and hid behind a little kiosk filled with souvenir crystals. There was a water fountain next to them.

“Go over the side!” Zoe told Percy. “You can escape in the sea, Percy. Call on thy father for help. Maybe you can save the Ophiotaurus.”

Percy snorted. “Like I would leave you guys. We fight together.”

“You have to get word to camp!” Grover said. “At least let them know what's going on!”

“We will,” Annabeth said as Percy uncapped his pen and slashed off the top of the water fountain. She took a coin from her pocket and tossed it into the rainbow created by the mist. “O goddess, accept my offering!” The mist rippled.

“Camp Half-Blood!” Percy said.

Thalia was blinking rapidly, the fog gone from her eyes.

The figure in the mist was Mr. D. The god Dionysus. Magnus remembered his behavior from the few days he spent at Camp and winced. This was hardly the help they needed right now.

Mr. D looked up lazily. “Do you mind?”

“Hello,” Percy said. “We’re about to die! Can you help us?”

Mr. D took a swig of grape juice - at least Magnus hoped it was grape juice. Could gods  _ get _ drunk?

“About to die,” Mr. D mused. “How exciting. So what is the problem exactly?”

Nico groaned and drew his sword. Magnus hadn’t seen the kid do much more than travel by shadows and make skeletons fall into fiery chasms, so he wasn’t sure what Nico could do against non-skeletons.

Percy explained about the Ophiotaurus with a lot more patience than Magnus would have in Percy’s place.

“Mmm.” Mr. D studied the contents of the fridge. “So that's it. I see. Let's see. I think I'm in the mood for pizza tonight.”

Magnus was very tempted to tell Jack to fly back to Long Island and stab Mr. D, but he didn’t think the Greek gods would look too favorably on that and considering Alex was still captured, he decided that it would be in her best interests to not do anything to get himself thrown off the quest. Or, like, you know. Killed.

“There!” the manticore screamed and then they were surrounded.

Two of the guards stood behind him. The other two appeared on the roofs of the pier shops above. The manticore threw off his coat and transformed into his true self, his lion claws extended and his spiky tail bristling with poison barbs.

“Excellent,” he said. He glanced at the apparition in the mist and snorted. “Alone, without any real help. Wonderful.”

“You could ask for help,” Mr. D murmured, as if this were an amusing thought. “You could say please.”

“Please,” Percy said.

Nothing happened.

The manticore grinned. “Spare the daughter of Zeus. She will join us soon enough. Kill the others.”

The men raised their guns, and something strange happened. There was a rush around the group of demigods and a sound like a huge sigh. The sunlight tinged with purple. The smell of grapes and wine hung in the air.

_ SNAP! _

It was the sound of many minds breaking at the same time. The sound of madness. One guard put his pistol between his teeth like it was a bone and ran around on all fours. Two others dropped their guns and started waltzing with each other. The fourth began doing what looked like an Irish clogging dance. It would have been funny if it hadn't been so terrifying.

“No!” screamed the manticore. “I will deal with you myself!”

His tail bristled, but the planks under his paws erupted into grape vines, which immediately began wrapping around the monster's body, sprouting new leaves and clusters of green baby grapes that ripened in seconds as the manticore shrieked, until he was engulfed in a huge mass of vines, leaves, and full clusters of purple grapes. Finally the grapes stopped shivering. Magnus had a feeling that the manticore was no more.

“Well,” said Dionysus, closing his refrigerator. “That was fun.” He stared resentfully at Thalia. “I hope you learned your lesson, girl. It isn't easy to resist power, is it?”

Thalia blushed as if she were ashamed.

“Mr. D,” Grover said in amazement. “You... you saved us.”

Nico looked as surprised as Magnus felt. He hadn’t expected the wine god to help them. In the short time that he had known Mr. D, Magnus thought he just didn’t care about demigods or anyone other than himself. Obviously that was not the case.

“Mmm. Don't make me regret it, satyr. Now get going, Percy Jackson. I've bought you a few hours at most.”

“The Ophiotaurus,” Percy said. “Can you get it to camp?”

Mr. D sniffed. “I do not transport livestock. That's your problem.” He looked at Zoe. “You must enter at sunset today, you know, or all is lost. Now good-bye. My pizza is waiting.” He waved his hand, and his image disappeared in the mist.

All around them, the manticore's minions were still acting completely nuts. One of them had found the homeless guy, and they were having a serious conversation about metal angels from Mars. Several other guards were harassing the tourists, making animal noises and trying to steal their shoes.

Magnus looked at Zoe. “What was that about?”

Her face was ashen as she pointed across the bay, past the Golden Gate. In the distance, a single mountain rose up above the cloud layer.

“The garden of my sisters,” she said. “I must go home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo. I kinda forgot about Magnus being able to understand animals... Soooo... he can't do that anymore. Because, you know... time travel.
> 
> Haha, I sound like Percy and Meg's conversation. "Because Poseidon."
> 
> Ooookay. So I was going to publicly share via google docs my timeline, but then I can't find that option anymore? Is there like a roundabout way to find it or is it just not an option in the newest version of Google docs? This is so sad, I'm not even that old. Why can't I figure this out? Technology is surpassing me! I've like googled this too and google is failing me.
> 
> Alright, anyway. We're almost to the end! Yay! And Annabeth will get to see her dad! Yay! And Magnus will get to see his uncle who he hasn't seen since he was six! Yay!


	18. Annabeth's Dad Finds Out About Magnus (Percy)

PERCY LET ANNABETH EXPLAIN all the details to her cousin. It wasn’t like he was annoyed the kid didn’t know anything about Greek mythology, but more of the fact that they had a very short time until the sun set and they still had to get Bessie to Camp.

“We have to get Bessie to swim back to Camp and Chiron can help us get him to Olympus,” Percy said.

“How?” Nico asked. “I mean, he was following  _ you _ , Percy.  _ You _ saved him.”

“Moo,” Bessie said forlornly.

“I... I can show him,” Grover said. “I'll go with him. I'm the only one who can talk to him,” he said. “It makes sense.” He bent down and said something in Bessie's ear. Bessie shivered, then made a contented, lowing sound. “The blessing of the Wild,” Grover said. “That should help with safe passage. Percy, pray to your dad, too. See if he will grant us safe passage through the seas.”

Percy nodded. He closed his eyes. “Dad. Help us. Get the Ophiotaurus and Grover safely back to camp. Protect them at sea.” He opened his eyes and took off the Nemean Lion coat.

“What are you doing?” Thalia gapped.

“A big sacrifice,” Percy answered. “I don’t need this to survive. I’m not Hercules,” he said, glancing at Zoe. He threw the coat into the bay. It turned back into a golden lion skin, flashing in the light. Then, as it began to sink beneath the waves, it seemed to dissolve into sunlight on the water. The sea breeze picked up.

Grover took a deep breath. “Well, no time to lose.” He jumped in the water and immediately began to sink. Bessie glided next to him and let Grover take hold of his neck.

“Be careful,” Annabeth said.

“We will,” Grover said. “Okay, um... Bessie? We're going to Long Island. It's east. Over that way.”

“Moooo?” Bessie said.

“Yes,” Grover answered. “Long Island. It's this island. And... it's long. Oh, let's just start.”

“Mooo!”

Bessie lurched forward. He started to submerge and Grover said, “I can't breathe under-water! Just thought I'd mention—”

_ Glub! _

“Well, that is one problem addressed,” Zoe said. “But how can we get to my sisters' garden?”

Annabeth let out a sigh. “I have an idea. My dad lives in San Francisco. He might give us a ride.”

* * *

When they got to the Chase house, they were greeted by a man in an old-fashioned aviator's cap and goggles.

“Hi, dad,” Annabeth said.

Dr. Chase blinked. “Annabeth? Annabeth!” He gave her a hug. “I wasn’t expecting you. I thought you were at Camp this week.”

“That would be why we’re here,” Annabeth explained. “Can we come in?”

Magnus chose this time to pipe up. “Hi, Uncle Fredrick.”

“Magnus?” Dr. Chase asked in surprise. “What are you-?”

“Long story,” Annabeth interrupted. “We need help, dad.”

“Right!” Dr. Chase said. “You'd better come in. We’ll go upstairs to my study. This way.” He led them into the house and paused before the stairs.

“Honey?” a woman called. Mrs. Chase appeared in the hallway. “Who’s this?” she asked, then she saw Annabeth. “Annabeth?”

Annabeth gestured to the group. “Um, this is Percy, Nico, Thalia, Zoe, and Magnus. We’re on a quest,” she added.

Mrs. Chase nodded. “Okay. Ah, I’ll bring some sandwiches up to the study then.” She disappeared down the hall towards the kitchen.

When they got upstairs into Dr. Chase’s study, Magnus and Nico gapped at the displays of old battles.

Annabeth interrupted her dad before he could talk about that. “Dad, we need transportation to Mount Tam. Artemis is in danger and Magnus’ friend Alex is there too.”

“I'll drive you,” Dr. Chase said. “Hmm. it would be faster to fly in my Camel, but it only seats two.”

“Whoa, you have an actual biplane?” Magnus sputtered.

“Down at Crissy Field,” Dr. Chase said proudly. “That's the reason I had to move here. My sponsor is a private collector with some of the finest World War I relics in the world. He let me restore the Sopwith Camel—”

“Sir,” Thalia said. “Just a car would be great. And it might be better if we went without you. It's too dangerous.”

Dr. Chase frowned uncomfortably. “Now wait a minute, young lady. Annabeth is my daughter. Magnus is also my nephew.” He peered at Magnus. “Who is apparently involved with the gods. Dangerous or not, I... I can't just—”

“Snacks,” Mrs. Chase announced. She pushed through the door with a tray full of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Cokes and cookies fresh out of the oven, the chocolate chips still gooey.

Thalia, Magnus, Nico, and Percy gratefully ate a few cookies. Annabeth took slow bites of a sandwich slice.

“I can drive, sir,” Zoe said. “I’m not as young as I look. I promise not to destroy your car.”

Percy choked on a cookie. “Do  _ not _ make that promise. That’s just asking for trouble.”

Mrs. Chase knit her eyebrows. “What's this about?”

“A goddess and a friend are in danger,” Dr. Chase said. “On Mount Tam. I would drive them, but... apparently it's no place for mortals.”

Mrs. Chase looked at them all with serious looks on their faces. She sighed. “Then they’d better get going.”

“Right!” Dr. Chase jumped up and started patting his pockets. “My keys...”

His wife sighed. “Frederick, honestly. You'd lose your head if it weren't wrapped inside your aviator hat. The keys are hanging on the peg by the front door.”

“Right!” Dr. Chase said.

Zoe grabbed a sandwich. “Thank you both. We should go. Now.”

They hustled out the door and down the stairs, the Chases right behind them.

“Annabeth,” Mrs. Chase called.

Annabeth turned around. “Yeah?”

Mrs. Chase shifted. “You still have a home here. I… I hope you know that.”

“I do,” Annabeth nodded. She hesitated. “I’ll be back. I don’t know when, but I’ll come home.”

Mrs. Chase’s smile looked genuine at that. “Good luck.”

“Thanks,” she said.

They ran out to the yellow VW convertible parked in the driveway. The sun was going down. They would have less than an hour to save Artemis and Alex.

* * *

“Can’t this thing go any faster?” Thalia demanded.

Zoe glared at her. “I cannot control traffic.”

“Okay, but, like, we’re breaking every traffic law by sitting like this,” Magnus pointed out.

That was true. The VW convertible was only supposed to house four passengers. They had six people which meant that Zoe was in the driver’s seat, Thalia was in the passenger seat, Nico was perched on the center console, and Percy, Annabeth, and Magnus were squeezed into the back row.

Zoe weaved in and out of traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge. The sun was sinking on the horizon when they finally got into Marin County and exited the highway. The roads were insanely narrow, winding through forests and up the sides of hills and around the edges of steep ravines. Zoe didn't slow down at all.

“Why does everything smell like cough drops?” Nico complained.

“Eucalyptus.” Zoe pointed to the huge trees all around us.

“You know what cough drops are?” Percy asked Nico.

Nico gave him an annoyed look. “Do I know what cough drops are? Of course I know what cough drops are, Percy!”

“Just checking,” Percy grinned.

Ahead of them loomed Mount Tamalpais. In terms of mountains, it was a small one, but it looked plenty huge as they were driving toward it.

“Why exactly are we going to Mount Tam?” Magnus asked.

“The Mountain of Despair,” Thalia corrected. “For Greeks anyway. It’s where, well, Zoe could explain it better.”

Zoe was silent for almost a mile before answering. “After the war between the Titans and the gods, many of the Titans were punished and imprisoned. Kronos was sliced to pieces and thrown into Tartarus. Kronos's right-hand man, the general of his forces, was imprisoned up there, on the summit, just beyond the Garden of the Hesperides.”

“The General,” Percy supplied.

Clouds seemed to be swirling around the mountain’s peak, as though the mountain was drawing them in, spinning them like a top.

“What’s going on up there?” Magnus asked nervously. “A little help for the non-Greek?”

Zoe didn’t answer. Nor did anyone else offer up any answers.

“We have to concentrate,” Thalia said instead. “The Mist is really strong here.”

“Glamour,” Annabeth said to Magnus.

The gray clouds swirled even thicker over the mountain, and they kept driving straight toward them. They were out of the forest now, into wide open spaces of cliffs and grass and rocks and fog.

Percy glanced down at the ocean. “Luke’s ship is here,” he said when he saw the big white cruise ship docked at the beach.

“We will have company, then,” Zoe said grimly. “Kronos's army.”

Suddenly the hairs on the back of Percy’s neck stood up.

“Stop the car. NOW!” Thalia shouted. “Out!”

Zoe and Thalia dove out the doors, Thalia dragging Nico with her. Percy flung open his door and Annabeth pushed Magnus out after Percy.

The next second:  _ BOOOM! _

Lightning flashed, and Dr. Chase's Volkswagen erupted like a canary-yellow grenade. Thalia’s shield appeared to block the shrapnel.

“ _ One shall perish by a parent's hand _ ” she muttered. “Curse him. He would destroy me? Me?”

“No way,” Percy said, shaking his head. “That couldn’t have been Zeus. Even if he wanted to kill you, which he doesn’t, there’s no way he would risk upsetting my dad or Hades.”

“How do you explain that then?” Thalia demanded.

“Both of you shut up,” Annabeth hissed. “Where’s Zoe?”

They got up and looked in either direction down the road. No sign of Zoe.

“Zoe!” Thalia shouted.

Then Zoe appeared, clamping a hand over Thalia’s mouth. “Silence, fool! Do you want to wake Ladon?” She glanced over her shoulder. “Follow me.”

Sheets of fog were drifting right across the road. Zoe stepped into one of them, and when the fog passed, she was no longer there. Thalia marched in after her followed by Percy, Nico, Annabeth, and Magnus.

When the fog cleared, they were still on the side of the mountain, but the road was dirt. The grass was thicker. The sunset made a blood red slash across the sea. The summit of the mountain seemed closer now, swirling with storm clouds and raw power. There was only one path to the top, directly in front of them. And it led through a lush meadow of shadows and flowers. The grass shimmered with silvery evening light, and the flowers were such brilliant colors they almost glowed in the dark. Stepping stones of polished black marble led around either side of a five-story-tall apple tree, every bough glittering with golden apples.

“The apples of immortality,” Annabeth breathed. “Hera’s wedding gift from Zeus.”

Magnus grimaced. “I hate immortal apples.”

“And I hate Hera, but it’s still a famous myth,” Annabeth said.

The shadows in front of them began to move. There was a beautiful, eerie singing, like voices from the bottom of a well. Four figures shimmered into existence, four young women who looked very much like Zoe. They all wore white Greek chitons. Their skin was like caramel. Silky black hair tumbled loose around their shoulders. They looked just like Zoe—gorgeous, and probably very dangerous.

“Sisters,” Zoe said.

“We do not see any sister,” one of the girls said coldly. “We see five half-bloods and a Hunter. All of whom shall soon die.”

“I’m not going anywhere without my friend,” Magnus said loudly.

“Nor without Artemis,” Zoe added. “We must approach the mountain.”

“You know he will kill thee,” the girl said. “You are no match for him.

“Artemis must be freed,” Zoe insisted. “Let us pass.”

The girl shook her head. “You have no rights here anymore. We have only to raise our voices and Ladon will wake.”

“He will not hurt me,” Zoe said.

“No? And what about thy so-called friends?”

Zoe took a breath. “Ladon!” she shouted. “Wake!”

The dragon stirred, glittering like a mountain of pennies. The Hesperides yelped and scattered.

The lead girl said to Zoe, “Are you mad?”

“You never had any courage, sister,” Zoe said. “That is thy problem.”

The dragon Ladon was writhing now, a hundred heads whipping around, tongues flickering and tasting the air. Zoe took a step forward, her arms raised.

“Zoe, don't,” Thalia said. “You're not a Hesperid anymore. He'll kill you.”

“Ladon is trained to protect the tree,” Zoe said. “Skirt around the edges of the garden. Go up the mountain. As long as I am a bigger threat, he should ignore thee.”

“Should,” Annabeth said. “Not exactly reassuring.”

“It is the only way,” she said. “Even the six of us together cannot fight him.”

Ladon opened his mouths. The sound of a hundred heads hissing at once sent a shiver down Percy’s back. The smell was like acid. It made his eyes burn, his skin crawl, and his hair stand on end.

Thalia and Nico ran left. Percy, Annabeth, and Magnus went right. Zoe walked straight up toward the monster.

“It's me, my little dragon,” Zoe said. “Zoe has come back.”

Ladon shifted forward, then back. Some of the mouths closed. Some kept hissing. Dragon confusion. Meanwhile, the Hesperides shimmered and turned into shadows. The voice of the eldest whispered, “Fool.”

“I used to feed thee by hand,” Zoe continued, speaking in a soothing voice as she stepped toward the golden tree. “Do you still like lamb's meat?”

The dragon's eyes glinted.

Percy and the others were almost out of the garden when things went wrong. Ladon lunged at Zoe. She dodged one set of slashing fangs and tumbled under another, weaving through the dragon's heads as she ran in Percy’s direction, gagging from the monster's horrible breath.

“Run!” Zoe panted.

The dragon snapped at her side, and Zoe cried out. Thalia uncovered Aegis, and the dragon hissed. In his moment of indecision, Zoe sprinted past the group up the mountain, and they followed. The dragon didn't try to pursue. He hissed and stomped the ground, but he was well trained to guard that tree. He wasn't going to be lured off even by the tasty prospect of eating some heroes.

They ran up the mountain as the Hesperides resumed their song in the shadows. The music didn't sound so beautiful to now—more like the sound track for a funeral.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They have arrived at Mount Tam. The story is almost done. Just three more chapters to go.
> 
> I'll probably start posting the Sum of Our Choices: The Battle of the Labyrinth after I finish. I've hit a big road block with Always Towards the Sun. I know what I need to make happen, but I'm stuck on the Camp Jupiter visit. Anyway, The Sum of Our Choices: The Battle of the Labyrinth will be much longer. At least thirty chapters I think, so I'll post that and hopefully get my writing for Always Towards the Sun figured out.
> 
> Also, I forgot to mention that the title of this series The Sum of Our Choices came from a Legends of Tomorrow quote that goes: "Destiny is nothing more than the sum of our own choices." I thought that fit really well with what the story is about. Plus it was the best thing I had after an hour of trying to name the thing.


	19. He Must Pay and so Shall She (Percy)

AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN WERE RUINS, blocks of black granite and marble as big as houses. Broken columns. Statues of bronze that looked as though they'd been half melted.

“The ruins of Mount Othrys,” Thalia whispered in awe.

“Yes,” Zoe said. “It was not here before. This is bad.”

“What's Mount Othrys?” Magnus asked. “I mean, can we please remember that I’m not Greek?”

“The mountain fortress of the Titans,” Zoe said. “In the first war, Olympus and Othrys were the two rival capitals of the world. Othrys was—” She winced and held her side.

Magnus hurried over. “I can fix that. Here.” He reached out a hand.

Zoe batted it away. “It’s nothing. I was saying... in the first war, Othrys was blasted to pieces.”

“Now it’s here,” Magnus said, looking around. “Which is bad, I take it?”

“This is Atlas's mountain,” Zoe said. “Where he holds—” She froze. Her voice was ragged with despair. “Where he used to hold up the sky.”

They had reached the summit. A few yards ahead, gray clouds swirled in a heavy vortex, making a funnel cloud that almost touched the mountaintop, but instead rested on the shoulders of a twelve-year-old girl with auburn hair and a tattered silvery dress: Artemis, her legs bound to the rock with celestial bronze chains.

“My lady!” Zoe rushed forward, but Artemis said, “Stop! It is a trap. You must leave now.”

Her voice was strained. She was drenched in sweat. The weight of the sky was clearly too much for Artemis.

Zoe was crying. She ran forward despite Artemis's protests, and tugged at the chains.

A booming voice spoke behind us: “Ah, how touching.”

They turned. The General was standing there in his brown silk suit. At his side were Luke and half a dozen dracaenae bearing the golden sarcophagus of Kronos.

Alex stood at Luke's side. She had her hands cuffed behind her back, a gag in her mouth, and Luke was holding the point of his sword to her throat. Alex looked beyond mad, but there wasn’t anything she could do with her hands tied.

“Let. Her. Go!” Magnus snarled.

Luke's smile was weak and pale. “That is the General's decision. But it’s good to see you again, Thalia. I’m glad you could make it.”

Thalia spat at him.

The General chuckled. “So much for old friends. And you, Zoe. It's been a long time. How is my little traitor? I will enjoy killing you.”

“Do not respond,” Artemis groaned. “Do not challenge him.”

Magnus tilted his head. “Wait. That’s Atlas?”

Alex made a muffled sound like a groan and she rolled her eyes.

The General glanced at Magnus. “Yes, I am Atlas, the general of the Titans and terror of the gods. Congratulations. I will kill you presently, as soon as I deal with this wretched girl.”

“Can we avoid killing us?” Magnus asked weakly. “Just… just give us our friend and our goddess back and we’ll go in peace?”

The General sneered. “You have no right to interfere, little hero. This is a family matter.”

“I hate family matters,” Magnus said. “Especially godly ones. They usually start off the end of the world. How is this a family matter anyway?”

“Atlas is my father,” Zoe said in resignation. She glared at Atlas. “Let Artemis go.”

Atlas walked closer to the chained goddess. “Perhaps you'd like to take the sky for her, then? Be my guest.”

Zoe opened her mouth to speak, but Artemis said, “No! Do not offer, Zoe! I forbid you.”

Atlas smirked. He knelt next to Artemis and tried to touch her face, but the goddess bit at him, almost taking off his fingers.

“Hoo-hoo,” Atlas chuckled. “You see, daughter? Lady Artemis likes her new job. I think I will have all the Olympians take turns carrying my burden, once Lord Kronos rules again, and this is the center of our palace. It will teach those weaklings some humility.”

“I don’t get it,” Magnus said. “Why can’t Artemis just… let go?”

Annabeth let out a breath. “I really need to sit down and teach you all the myths.” She gestured to the weight above Artemis. “This is the point where the earth and the sky meet. It has to be held up otherwise the sky would crush everything.”

“The only way to escape is if someone else takes it from you,” Atlas agreed. He studied them all carefully. “So these are the best heroes of the age, eh? Not much of a challenge.”

Nico drew his sword. The monsters seemed to hiss and shy away from the Stygian Iron blade. “I doubt that.”

Thalia and Annabeth nodded along with him and drew their own weapons. Percy uncapped Riptide.

Atlas's eyes glowed with hatred. He turned his attention to Thalia. “It seems Luke was wrong about you, daughter of Zeus.”

“I wasn't wrong,” Luke managed. He looked terribly weak, and he spoke every word as if it were painful. “Thalia, you still can join us. Call the Ophiotaurus. It will come to you. Look!” He waved his hand, and next to us a pool of water appeared: a pond ringed in black marble, big enough for the Ophiotaurus. “Thalia, call the Ophiotaurus,” Luke persisted. “And you will be more powerful than the gods.”

Thalia glanced back at Percy and then back to Luke. “I… Luke… What happened to you?”

“Don't you remember all those times we talked? All those times we cursed the gods? Our fathers have done nothing for us. They have no right to rule the world! If you join me,” Luke promised, “it can be like old times. The three of us together. Fighting for a better world. Please, Thalia, if you don't agree...” His voice faltered. “It's my last chance. He will use the other way if you don't agree. Please.”

“Do not, Thalia,” Zoe warned. “We must fight them.”

Luke waved his hand again, and a fire appeared. A bronze brazier, just like the one at camp. A sacrificial flame.

Nico and Annabeth glanced at Thalia nervously.

Behind Luke, the golden sarcophagus began to glow.

“We will raise Mount Othrys right here,” Luke promised, in a voice so strained it was hardly his. “Once more, it will be stronger and greater than Olympus. Look, Thalia. We are not weak.” He pointed toward the ocean.

Marching up the side of the mountain, from the beach where the Princess Andromeda was docked, was a great army. Dracaenae and Laestrygonians, monsters and half-bloods, hellhounds, harpies, and other things. In a few minutes, they would be at the mountain.

“This is only a taste of what is to come,” Luke said. “Soon we will be ready to storm Camp Half-Blood. And after that, Olympus itself. All we need is your help.”

Thalia leveled her spear. “You aren’t Luke. I don’t know you anymore.”

“Yes, you do, Thalia,” he pleaded. “Please. Don't make me... Don't make him destroy you.”

“Sorry, Luke,” Annabeth said softly.

“Now!” Percy yelled.

Together they charged.

Percy saw Magnus make a beeline for Alex who had been cast aside as Luke swung his sword up to meet Thalia’s spear. The dracaena holding the golden coffin, dropped it as soon as Thalia charged in with Aegis, but they were met by Nico and his black sword. He vaporized a few before they had a chance to react.

Percy and Annabeth charged past Atlas and toward Artemis as Zoe covered them. She shot arrow after arrow at her father, causing him to rumble in annoyance as he swatted them aside.

“What are you doing?” Artemis asked, still straining under the weight of the sky.

Percy glanced at Annabeth. “Go help Nico. I can do this.”

Annabeth shook her head. “It’s cute how you think I’d just leave you alone like this.”

Percy grinned. “You’re amazing.” He turned to look at Artemis. “We’ll take the sky. You fight Atlas.”

“No, boy,” Artemis said. Her forehead was beaded with metallic sweat. “You don’t know what you’re asking. It will crush you!”

“Give us the sky!” Percy said, slashing through the chains holding Artemis there.

Then Percy and Annabeth stepped next to her and braced themselves on one knee and touched the cold heavy clouds. It wasn’t that bad while Artemis was helping them, but then she slipped out from under the burden.

Pain exploded in Percy’s arms. Every muscle in his body turned to fire. His bones felt like they were melting. Next to him, Annabeth let out a small whimper of pain. Her eyes were squeezed tight and her face was furrowed in concentration.

Percy’s vision turned fuzzy. Everything was tinged with red. He caught glimpses of the battle, but he wasn't sure if he was seeing clearly.

There was Atlas in full battle armor, jabbing with his javelin, laughing insanely as he fought. And Artemis, a blur of silver. She had two wicked hunting knives, each as long as her arm, and she slashed wildly at the Titan, dodging and leaping with unbelievable grace. She seemed to change form as she maneuvered. She was a tiger, a gazelle, a bear, a falcon. Or was that Alex who was changing forms? Had Magnus managed to free her yet?

Zoe shot arrows at her father, aiming for the chinks in his armor. He roared in pain each time one found its mark, but they affected him like bee stings. He just got madder and kept fighting.

Thalia and Luke went spear on sword, lightning still flashing around them. Thalia pressed Luke back with the aura of her shield. Even he was not immune to it. He retreated, wincing and growling in frustration.

“Yield!” Thalia yelled. “You never could beat me, Luke.”

He bared his teeth. “Well see, my old friend.”

Sweat poured down Percy’s face. His hands were slippery. His shoulders were in agony and it felt like the vertebrae in his spine were being welded together by a blow torch.

Atlas advanced, pressing Artemis. She was fast, but his strength was unstoppable. His javelin slammed into the earth where Artemis had been a split second before, and a fissure opened in the rocks. He leaped over it and kept pursuing her. She was leading him back toward me.

_ Get ready _ , she spoke in Percy's and Annabeth’s minds.

“You fight well for a girl,” Atlas laughed. “But you are no match for me.”

He feinted with the tip of his javelin and Artemis dodged. Atlas's javelin swept around and knocked Artemis's legs off the ground. She fell, and Atlas brought up his javelin tip for the kill.

“No!” Zoe screamed. She leaped between her father and Artemis and shot an arrow straight into the Titan's forehead, where it lodged like a unicorn's horn. Atlas bellowed in rage. He swept aside his daughter with the back of his hand, sending her flying into the black rocks.

“No,” Annabeth gasped, panting. Tears rolled down her cheeks, but Percy didn’t think they were all completely from the weight of the sky anymore.

Atlas turned on Artemis with a look of triumph in his face. Artemis seemed to be wounded. She didn't get up.

“The first blood in a new war,” Atlas gloated. And he stabbed downward.

As fast as thought, Artemis grabbed his javelin shaft. It hit the earth right next to her and she pulled backward, using the javelin like a lever, kicking the Titan Lord and sending him flying over her. Percy loosened his grip on the sky, and as Atlas slammed into him and Annabeth they rolled out of the way. The weight of the sky dropped onto Atlas’ back, almost smashing him flat until he managed to get to his knees, struggling to get out from under the crushing weight of the sky.

“Noooooo!” He bellowed so hard it shook the mountain. “Not again!” Atlas was trapped under his old burden.

“Ha!” Alex spat. “Get comfortable, meinfretr!”

Magnus grinned. “Stinkfart?”

Alex waved a hand in Nico’s direction. “Child present.”

“Thalia!” Annabeth gasped, struggling to push herself up.

Thalia backed Luke to the edge of a cliff, but still they fought on, next to the golden coffin. Thalia had tears in her eyes. Luke had a bloody slash across his chest and his pale face glistened with sweat. He lunged at Thalia and she slammed him with her shield. Luke's sword spun out of his hands and clattered to the rocks. Thalia put her spear point to his throat.

For a moment, there was silence.

“Well?” Luke asked.

Thalia trembled with fury.

“Don’t!” Annabeth said. “Don’t kill him!”

“He's a traitor,” Thalia said. “A traitor!”

Alex had regained her garrote, and she held it dangerously. “Who  _ is _ he?”

“Not him,” Magnus murmured causing Alex to relax slightly.

“We'll bring Luke back,” Annabeth said. “To Olympus.”

“Is that what you want, Thalia?” Luke sneered. “To go back to Olympus in triumph? To please your dad?”

Thalia hesitated, and Luke made a desperate grab for her spear.

“Luke, don’t!” Annabeth shouted. But it was too late.

Without thinking, Thalia kicked Luke away. He lost his balance, terror on his face, and then he fell.

They rushed to the cliff’s edge. Below, the army from the Princess Andromeda had stopped in amazement. They were staring at Luke's broken form on the rocks.

One of the giants looked up and growled, “Kill them!”

“Come on!” Percy said, pulling them back from the cliff. “Artemis!”

The goddess looked up, her face almost as grief-stricken as Thalia's. Zoe lay in the goddess's arms. She was breathing. Her eyes were open. But still...

“The wound is poisoned,” Artemis said.

“Nectar and ambrosia,” Annabeth said. She looked at Nico who still had Bianca’s backpack. “There must be some in the bag.”

Nico looked away. “Annabeth…”

“The stars,” Zoe murmured. “I cannot see them.”

No one moved. Grief hung in the air. The army of Kronos was just below the rise. Even Artemis was too shocked to stir. Just as the army of monsters came over the hill, a Sopwith Camel swooped down out of the sky.

“Get away from my daughter and nephew!” Dr. Chase called down, and his machine guns burst to life, peppering the ground with bullet holes and startling the whole group of monsters into scattering.

“Dad?” yelled Annabeth in disbelief.

“Uncle Frederick?” Magnus gapped.

Alex stared at the plane. “Dude, you have a really cool uncle and a really sucky uncle. I love it.”

“Run!” Dr. Chase called, his voice growing fainter as the biplane swooped by.

This shook Artemis out of her grief. She stared up at the antique plane, which was now banking around for another strafe.

“A brave man,” Artemis said with grudging approval. “Come, We must get Zoe away from here.” She raised her hunting horn to her lips, and it’s clear sound echoed down the valleys of Marin. Zoe's eyes were fluttering.

“Hang in there!” Percy told her.

He hoped Zoe would be saved, but it was looking less likely by the second. They just had to get Zoe out of here. He really hoped Zoe would make it. Even if he knew it was unlikely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love how Magnus just has no idea what is going on with the Greek myths. That's going to have to change, buddy. Annabeth's going to have to explain all the myths to you and then you and her can explain the Norse myths to Percy.
> 
> Alright, two more chapters after this, and they are both Magnus chapters.


	20. Today is Thursday (Magnus)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> December 20, 2007 was in fact a Thursday. I did my fact checking with that and honestly... I had to put this in here.

AFTER HE HAD FREED ALEX, Magnus had no idea what happened.

All he knew was that Nico di Angelo was fighting these snake-dragon-lady hybrids and coincidentally, today, December 20, 2007, was in fact a Thursday.

“I hate Thursdays,” Magnus grumbled.

Alex picked up her garrote and gave him a feral grin. “What are you talking about? Thursdays are great.”

Honestly, it was a major relief that Nico and Alex managed to take care of all the hybrid things before Magnus had to do anything. He returned Jack to his pendant despite the sword's protests and made his way over to Alex and Nico who stood in piles of monster dust.

He barely had any time to register what was going on when Thalia kicked Luke off the cliff and they rushed over to where Artemis was kneeling by Zoe. Then his Uncle (the cool one) flew in on his plane and shot the monsters that were after them.

He shook his head as a silver chariot appeared from the sky, drawn by a couple of deer. It landed next to them.

“Get in,” Artemis said.

Percy and Annabeth crawled into the chariot and held Zoe wrapped in a blanket. Thalia and Nico climbed in next to them while Alex and Magnus followed.

Artemis pulled the reins and the chariot sped away from the mountain, straight into the air. His uncle followed them in his biplane like an honor guard until they finally landed at Crissy Field after nightfall.

Annabeth ran to her father. “Dad! That was amazing!”

Her father blushed. “Well, not bad for a middle-aged mortal, I suppose.”

“The celestial bronze bullets!” Annabeth said. “You must have melted down a few weapons to make those, right? That’s incredible.”

“Just a little experiment,” Uncle Frederick shrugged.

“Annabeth,” Thalia called. Her voice was urgent. She and Artemis were kneeling at Zoe’s side, binding the huntress’ wounds.

Magnus jolted. “I can heal her,” he said quickly. “I… well, I might see some bad memories, but I can save her.” He reached for Zoe. “Can I-?”

Zoe gripped his wrist. She met his eyes. “Norse and Greek getting along. I admit I did not think I would see a day where our pantheons collide. Annabeth and thee were brought together for a reason, I know it.” She let go of his wrist and turned to Artemis. “Have I… served thee well?” she whispered.

“With great honor,” Artemis said softly. “The finest of my attendants.”

Zoe's face relaxed. “Rest. At last.”

Even Alex looked uncomfortable. “Magnus can save you,” she mumbled.

“No,” Nico shook his head. “She’s going. I can feel it.”

Zoe managed a faint smile. “Bianca would be proud of thee. Take good care of that backpack. Alex,” she said, looking at her, “I apologize for judging thee too harshly. You are a brave maiden and a good man. And you have good friends.”

Alex managed a small smile. “They’re kinda annoying. Especially that one,” she said, pointing to Magnus.

Zoe laughed, wincing in pain. “Perhaps a bit.” She saw Thalia, and took her hand. “I am sorry we argued,” Zoe said. “We could have been sisters.”

“It's my fault,” Thalia said, blinking hard. “You were right about Luke, about heroes, men—everything.”

“Perhaps not all men,” Zoe murmured. She smiled weakly at Percy. “Do you still have the sword, Percy?”

Percy silently passed her his pen. Zoe grasped it with a strange look.

“You spoke the truth, Percy Jackson. You are nothing like... like Hercules. I am honored that you carry this sword.” A shudder ran through her body.

“Zoe—” Percy said. He was blinking rapidly.

“Stars,” she whispered. “I can see the stars again, my lady.”

Annabeth let out a breath and leaned against Percy.

A tear trickled down Artemis's cheek. “Yes, my brave one. They are beautiful tonight.”

“Stars,” Zoe repeated. Her eyes fixed on the night sky. And she did not move again.

Thalia lowered her head. Annabeth gulped down a sob, and Percy pulled her close. Nico closed his eyes like he was praying. Magnus fell back and sat on the ground next to Alex.

Artemis cupped her hand above Zoe’s mouth and spoke a few words in Greek. A silvery wisp of smoke exhaled from Zoe's lips and was caught in the hand of the goddess. Zoe's body shimmered and disappeared. Artemis stood, said a kind of blessing, breathed into her cupped hand and released the silver dust to the sky. It flew up, sparkling, and vanished.

In the sky was a new pattern of stars. Magnus had never been great at seeing the pictures in the sky, but now he could see a girl with a bow running across the sky.

“Let the world honor you, my Huntress,” Artemis said. “Live forever in the stars.” She turned to the group of demigods. “I must go to Olympus immediately,” she said. “I will not be able to take you, but I will send help.” She mounted her chariot which began to glow.

“Close your eyes!” Annabeth called to Magnus and Alex.

They closed their eyes and when they opened them, the goddess and her chariot were gone.

“Well,” Uncle Frederick sighed. “She was impressive; though I must say I still prefer Athena.”

Thalia cleared her throat. “We, uh, we need to go.”

Three winged horses descended through the fog: two white winged horses and one pure black one.

“Blackjack!” Percy called.

Alex looked excited. Magnus almost told her, but then he figured that would earn him a violent response (hopefully garrote free), so he let it go.

“It was rough,” Percy admitted.

The one-sided conversation with the pegasi was a little strange. Meanwhile, his uncle was marveling over the pegasi. Apparently he was one of the mortals that could see through glamor, well, the Mist.

After Uncle Frederick left, Percy directed them to a pegasus.

“Annabeth and I will take Blackjack,” he said. “Magnus and Alex can take Guido. Thalia and Nico can take Porkpie.”

Alex eagerly jumped onto Guido. “Awesome.”

Nico lagged behind. “Are you sure Magnus, Alex, and I should be going to Olympus?” he asked.

“You helped save Artemis,” Thalia said bluntly. “The gods owe you a thank you. So yeah, you three are coming.”

Magnus climbed onto Guido behind Alex.

She grinned at him. “You going to hold on?”

“Oh ha ha,” Magnus grumbled, wrapping his arms around Alex.

They soared over the bay and flew toward the eastern hills. Soon San Francisco was only a glittering crescent behind them, with an occasional flicker of lightning in the north. Thalia was so exhausted she fell asleep on Porkpie's back leaving Nico to make sure she didn’t fall off.

“Thanks for coming to, you know,” Alex said, waving a hand around.

“Save you?” Magnus said.

Alex elbowed him. “Do I look like I need saving? I just meant that it was nice you to come see me make my big escape.”

“Of course,” Magnus said, rolling his eyes. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

Alex was quiet. “I thought it was Loki. I thought he tricked that boy Luke. It made me mad. I guess I have tunnel vision when it comes to him.”

“He said all the right words to make you think that,” Magnus shrugged. “Honestly, I would have done the same thing.”

The towns were zipping by faster now, islands of light thicker together, until the whole landscape below was a glittering carpet. Dawn was close. The eastern sky was turning gray. And up ahead, a huge white-and-yellow glow spread out before us—the lights of New York.

“There it is.” Thalia's voice; she'd woken up. She was pointing toward Manhattan, which was quickly zooming into view. “It's started.”

“What's started?” Magnus asked.

“The winter solstice,” Thalia said. “The Council of the Gods.”

Magnus looked above the Empire State Building. An island of light floated above it. A floating mountain ablaze with torches and braziers, white marble palaces gleaming in the early morning air. Olympus.

* * *

Magnus figured that if Percy Jackson looked worried, then it was probably something to worry about. It was all well and good to say that Nico, Alex, and Magnus had every right to come to Olympus when they had been back at Crissy Field, but now that they were actually on Olympus, everyone looked a little apprehensive.

One of the inhabitants saw Magnus’ pendant and gasped, “Frái!” Then disappeared.

“It means Frey in Greek,” Annabeth explained tersely. “Come on.”

They entered the throne room of the Olympian gods (Magnus was careful to make that distinction) side by side.

Thirteen enormous thrones made a U around a central hearth, just like the placement of the cabins at camp. All of the seats were occupied. Each god and goddess was about fifteen feet tall.

“Welcome, heroes,” Artemis said.

“Mooo!”

Alex choked. “Is that a… cow?” she gapped, looking at a sphere of water hovering in the center of the room.

“Ophiotaurus,” Magnus corrected.

Grover was kneeling at Zeus's throne, as if he'd just been giving a report, but when he saw us, he cried, “You made it!” He started to run toward Percy, then looked for permission.

“Go on,” Zeus said. But he wasn't really paying attention to Grover. The lord of the sky was staring intently at Thalia.

Grover trotted over. None of the gods spoke. Every clop of Grover's hooves echoed on the marble floor. Bessie splashed in his bubble of water. The hearth fire crackled.

Grover gave Annabeth and Thalia big hugs. Then he grasped Percy’s arms. “Percy, Bessie and I made it! But you have to convince them! They can't do it!”

“Do what?” Percy asked.

“Heroes,” Artemis called.

The goddess slid down from her throne and turned to human size, a young auburn-haired girl, perfectly at ease in the midst of the giant Olympians. She walked toward us, her silver robes shimmering. There was no emotion in her face. She seemed to walk in a column of moonlight.

“The Council has been informed of your deeds,” Artemis told us. “They know that Mount Othrys is rising in the West. They know of Atlas's attempt for freedom, and the gathering armies of Kronos. We have voted to act.”

There was some mumbling and shuffling among the gods, as if they weren't all happy with this plan, but nobody protested.

“At my Lord Zeus's command,” Artemis said, “my brother Apollo and I shall hunt the most powerful monsters, seeking to strike them down before they can join the Titans' cause. Lady Athena shall personally check on the other Titans to make sure they do not escape their various prisons. Lord Poseidon has been given permission to unleash his full fury on the cruise ship Princess Andromeda and send it to the bottom of the sea. And as for you, my heroes...” She turned to face the other immortals. “These half-bloods have done Olympus a great service. Would any here deny that?” She looked around at the assembled gods, meeting their faces individually.

Zeus cast a dark look towards Magnus, Alex, and Nico. “I do not deny the service they have done, but those two should not be here.”

“Dude, if this is about my mom, don’t worry,” Alex said. “I hate him too.”

Zeus looked mollified. “Dude?” he repeated. He shook his head. “As for that one,” he pointed at Nico.

Hades coughed. “Need I remind you who broke the oath first?”

“I gotta say” - Apollo broke the tension - “these kids did okay.” He cleared his throat. “Heroes win laurels-”

“Um, yes, first class,” Hermes interrupted, much to Alex’s disappointment. “All in favor of not disintegrating them?”

A few tentative hands went up—Demeter, Aphrodite.

“Wait just a minute,” Ares growled. He pointed at Thalia, Percy, and Nico. “These three are dangerous. It'd be much safer, while we've got them here—”

“Ares,” Poseidon interrupted, “they are worthy heroes. We will not blast my son to bits.”

“Nor my daughter,” Zeus grumbled. “She has done well.”

Hades didn’t say anything, but he did give Ares a pointed look.

Athena cleared her throat and sat forward. “I am proud of my daughter as well. But there is a security risk here with the other three as well as the two… Norse.”

“Mother!” Annabeth said. “How can you—”

Athena cut her off. “As you know, daughter, the Great Prophecy speaks of a child of the three elder gods. As such, those three are dangerous. As thick-headed as he is, Ares has a point.”

“This is insane,” Alex muttered. “Are they really debating on whether or not to kill them?”

Magnus frowned. “Um, it looks like it.”

“Right,” Alex nodded. “Okay, so I’m going to do something.”

Magnus looked at her. “What?”

“HEY!” Alex shouted, interrupting Ares and Dionysus.

Magnus closed his eyes and prayed to every deity out there that Alex didn’t get incinerated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have You or Someone You Loved Ever Suffered from Lindworms was one of my favorite chapter titles in Magnus Chase. Since Thursdays are the days when lindworms are released in combat-to-the-death and they were fighting the "snake-dragon-lady hybrids," or as Magnus does not know them dracaenae, I thought the fact that it was Thursday was appropriate to mention.
> 
> According to my google translate which I types Frey in English and converted it to Greek, Frái does in fact mean Frey. It changes though when you try to convert Frái back to English in which case it turns into fry.
> 
> Oooookay, so yes. I didn't save Zoe. Which I was kinda sad about because I love Zoe and I wish she hadn't died. But I did explain why I think Zoe really died in a review which honestly probably spoiled this chapter. Anyway, I truly believe that Zoe always had this hope that her father and her sisters would one day take her back. Proof of this is that she still calls the Hesperides her sisters even though they've made it very clear that they don't see her the same way. Yes, the poison from Ladon weakened her, and Artemis probably could have healed her, but Atlas did a lot of emotional damage when he sent her flying into the rocks. The act of her own father who she wanted to believe would love her again slapping her into a pile of rocks like she meant nothing to him did more damage than the poison. In the books, Artemis says that she could try to heal Zoe, but she wasn't sure if it would even work. Zoe stops her. So for those of you asking why Magnus couldn't heal her, honestly, if a goddess couldn't do it, then a demigod couldn't either, and Zoe just didn't want to be healed. I mean, in both the book and this story, she went into the quest knowing that she would be the one to perish by a parent's hand, but still she thought maybe her family would take her back. Anyway, that's just my reasoning and explanation for why I think Zoe had to die.
> 
> On that happy note... one more chapter left.


	21. Alex Fierro Makes a Choice (Magnus)

THE GODS ALL FELL SILENT and stared at the demigod who dared to interrupt them.

“Yeah, hello,” Alex said, waving. “So, like, I’m new or whatever, but it sounds like you’re trying to decide if you want to kill the heroes who helped save a goddess. And me,” she added as an afterthought. “Anyway, I was just wondering why this conversation is happening.”

Artemis hid a smile behind her hands. “I agree. I will have them rewarded, not punished. If we destroy heroes who do us a great favor, then we are no better than the titans. If this is Olympian justice, I will have none of it.”

“Thank you!” Alex said, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

“Well,” Zeus grumbled. “Perhaps. But the monster at least must be destroyed. We have an agreement on that?”

A lot of nodding heads.

“Wait!” Annabeth cried. She looked at Apollo. “The last line of the prophecy.  _ The bane of Olympus’ life to save / And start your journey to preserve or raze _ .”

“Prophecy?” Alex repeated, looking at Magnus.

“Long story,” he told her.

Percy nodded along. “You can’t destroy Bessie. I saved him. He’s just an innocent sea creature. Besides, controlling prophecies never works. It would be wrong to kill him.”

“We cannot let that power remain,” Zeus disagreed. “If one of you were to sacrifice the beast’s entrails…” he gave Magnus and Alex suspicious looks. “My daughter turns sixteen tomorrow.”

“You have to trust them,” Annabeth said quietly.

Zeus scowled. “Trust a hero?”

“Annabeth is right,” Artemis said. “Which is why I must first make a reward. My faithful companion, Zoe Nightshade, has passed into the stars. I must have a new lieutenant. And I intend to choose one. But first, Father Zeus, I must speak to you privately.”

Zeus beckoned Artemis forward. He leaned down and listened as she spoke in his ear.

“What do you think that’s about?” Alex mused.

“New lieutenant,” Magnus guessed. “Another girl to take Zoe’s place.” He froze and looked at Alex. “She didn’t ask you did she?”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “Why? Do you think I’d just leave you for some eternal girls group? I’m not even a girl all the time, Maggie.”

“I think she’d make an exception for you,” Magnus murmured. “As long as you swore off dating.”

“Maybe,” Alex shrugged. “But what would you do without me?”

“Die,” Magnus admitted. “Die a lot.”

“You die a lot even with me,” Alex grinned.

“Only because you enjoy killing me,” Magnus grumbled.

Artemis turned. “I shall have a new lieutenant,” she announced. “If she will accept it. Thalia,” Artemis said. “Daughter of Zeus. Will you join the Hunt?”

Thalia looked shocked, but also understanding. She lifted her shoulders. “I will,” she said firmly.

Zeus rose, his eyes full of concern. “My daughter, consider well—”

“Father,” she said. “I will not turn sixteen tomorrow. I will never turn sixteen. I won't let this prophecy be mine. I stand with my sister Artemis. Kronos will never tempt me again.” She knelt before the goddess. “I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis. I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt.”

“Yeah, not my thing,” Alex shrugged.

“Now for the Ophiotaurus,” Artemis said.

“This boy is still dangerous,” Dionysus warned. “The beast is a temptation to great power. Even if we spare the boy—”

“No,” Percy said, looking around. “Keep him in an aquarium here on Olympus. Protect him. I don’t turn sixteen for two more years.”

“Much can change in two years,” Athena warned. “This is a bad strategy to keep both the boys and the animal alive.”

“We are not killing my son,” Poseidon and Hades said together.

“I will vouch for the boy and the safety of the Ophiotaurus,” Poseidon continued. “I will build an aquarium for the creature here. Hephaestus can help me. The creature will be safe. We shall protect it with all our powers. The boy will not betray us. I vouch for this on my honor.”

Zeus thought about this. “All in favor?”

Dionysus, Ares, and Athena abstained from voting, but the rest of the gods voted favorably for this. Alex looked pleased.

“You could have done this without risking your life,” Magnus told her.

Alex gave him a look. “Not really.”

* * *

By some miracle, they made it out alive and to the Olympian party.

The various gods, goddesses, and spirits on Olympus were wary of Magnus and Alex, but that was okay with them. They had plenty of friends to hang out with and a lot of lost time to catch up on.

Nico disappeared with his father after the meeting. According to Percy, they’d see Nico at Camp when they got there.

Gods kept coming over to congratulate Percy, which was awkward with Magnus and Alex standing there. At one point, Apollo came over to tell Percy that he was welcome to drive his sun chariot any time, and if he ever wanted archery lessons, they could do those too. Percy declined.

Alex loved it. “You just got asked out by Apollo!” she said, shoving Percy. “You should have said yes.”

Percy laughed. “No thank you. I’ve already got someone,” he said, pulling Annabeth close. “I mean, if she’ll have me.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes. “Seaweed Brain.” She leaned up and pressed her lips to his.

They broke apart and Percy had a silly look on his face.

“Alex-”

“I’m not kissing you,” Alex interrupted Magnus.

Magnus sputtered. “I wasn’t going to-”

“I know,” Alex grinned. “Dance with me?”

Percy and Annabeth laughed as Magnus allowed (read: smartly decided not to protest) Alex to drag him to the dance floor.

* * *

There was a van so much like the van Percy, Thalia, Bianca, Zoe, and Grover had taken from Camp waiting for them at the bottom of the Empire State Building. The driver was silent, but his body was covered in eyeballs which kinda freaked Magnus out a little.

They drove back to Camp in silence, staring out the windows as the snow flurried around them.

When they got to Camp, Thalia and the Hunters were long gone and Nico was waiting for them at the top of Half-Blood Hill.

“Elysium,” he said.

Percy gave him a one armed hug. “I’m glad you got to see her off.”

Nico shrugged Percy’s arm off. “Yeah, well. Couldn’t leave her like I did.”

Magnus tilted his head. “What are you talking about?”

Nico studied Magnus. “My sister,” he finally said. “She went to Elysium. Greek paradise. I went to say goodbye.”

Chiron greeted them at the Big House with hot chocolate. Some of the other campers gathered to hear about the quest.

“This is…” Chiron said, looking at Alex.

“Alex Fierro,” Alex said. “And my pronouns are she and her right now.”

Percy explained about Luke and how he was still alive. “My dad thinks that he’ll regroup before attacking again.”

“I don’t think he’ll wait until Percy turns sixteen to attack though,” Annabeth said.

“He won’t,” Nico spoke up. He met Percy’s eyes. “I don’t think he’ll go after Thalia again, but Percy and I are the only other children of the Big Three. My father already warned me to be careful whenever I leave Camp or the Underworld.”

“Well, we know the final battle won’t be for at least two more years,” Annabeth said. “So we have until then to… figure something out.”

Magnus had a feeling Annabeth’s definition of figuring something out and everyone else’s definition were two different things.

Chiron's expression was gloomy. “Two years may seem like a long time,” he said. “But it is the blink of an eye. I still hope you are not the child of the prophecy, Percy, nor you, Nico. But if you are, then the second Titan war is almost upon us. Kronos's first strike will be here.”

“Why would he care about camp?” one of the counselors asked.

“It would cripple the gods,” Alex shrugged. “I mean, heroes are the ones the gods send out on quests, right?”

One of the boys snorted. “How would you know that?”

Alex looked away. “Sounds like something my mom would do.”

“Alex is correct,” Chiron nodded. “Luke will send his forces here. We must be prepared. Clarisse's news may give us a clue as to how they will attack, but I doubt it will happen until summer at least.”

On that happy note, they passed out the hot chocolate. It made Magnus homesick. Not for his apartment with his mom though. Homesick for a lavish hotel suit and a lot of deadly activities.

Magnus drank his hot chocolate.

* * *

“So what’s the plan now?” Annabeth asked.

Magnus shrugged. “I guess go back to Boston. Call us if you need us.”

Alex chewed her lip. “I’m not going back to Boston, Magnus. Not yet. I mean… my father. I’m not going back there.”

“You could stay with me,” Magnus said. “My mom wouldn’t have any problem with that.”

“My father can pretend his  _ son _ is dead if I’m living on the streets,” Alex said tightly. “If your mom took me in… I don’t know what he would do to preserve his reputation. So I was hoping that maybe I could just stay here?” She looked at Percy and Annabeth inquisitively.

“Of course, Alex,” Percy said. “You’re always welcome here.”

“Just try not to get into too much trouble,” Annabeth said with a smile.

Magnus stared at Alex. He nodded. “Okay. I… I get it. You’ll have to visit though. Or I’ll come visit you. I don’t know. I’ve been thinking about trying to convince my mom to move away from Boston. Just for now. Hopefully that will keep the wolves and everything at bay until it’s time.”

“Sounds good,” Annabeth said. “I’d stick to the east coast though. The west coast… well. It’s not a good place for Greeks. Not right now.” She looked at her cousin. “Of course, I expect you to be at Camp Half-Blood this summer.”

“Why?” Alex asked. “What’s this summer?”

Percy grinned. “Oh, the usual. Probably another life or death quest.”

“Questing to the death,” Alex shrugged. “I’m in.”

“I will let Chiron know you are staying then,” Annabeth said, looking at Alex. She turned to Magnus. “And I’ll be going with  _ you _ to Boston. Try to help explain some things to Aunt Natalie. Guess I’ll help you convince her to move.”

Grover stumbled over in a hurry. His face was haggard and pale, like he’d seen a ghost. Which considering Nico could probably summon one, that might not actually be too far fetched.

“He spoke!” Grover cried.

“What?” Alex asked.

”I... I was playing music in the parlor,“ Grover stammered, ”and drinking coffee. Lots and lots of coffee! And he spoke in my mind!“

“Pan?” Percy asked. “He spoke to you?”

Grover nodded wildly. The Lord of the Wild himself. I heard him! I have to… I have to find a suitcase.”

Annabeth grabbed Grover’s arm. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. You can’t just leave us hanging. What did he say?”

“Just three words,” Grover said in awe. “He said, ‘I await you.’” He grinned. “Isn’t that amazing?”

“It is,” Percy nodded. “I told you. You’ll be the one. You’ll find him.”

Grover smiled. “Thanks, Percy. I’ve got to go tell the other satyrs!” he rushed off.

“Pan? Like… bread?” Alex asked, raised eyebrows. “Or pan as in pots and pans?”

“Pan is the god of the Wild, satyrs, and folk music,” Annabeth explained. “He’s been missing for… a couple millennia. The satyrs dedicate their lives to finding him.” She looked sad. “I haven’t had the heart to tell Grover…” she trailed off. “It doesn’t matter. Grover  _ will _ be the one to find Pan.” She stood up. “I’ll go tell Chiron you’re staying Alex.”

* * *

The train ride to Boston was quiet. Annabeth read some books about architecture in Greek. Magnus fiddled around with his pendant. He decided to keep it tucked under his shirt. Just in case anyone decided to have a look and see what was going on in the life of one Magnus Chase.

“If you’re worried about your mom knowing you’re all caught up in this, don’t be,” Annabeth said as they walked through the streets of Boston. “She loves you. She doesn’t want to see you get hurt is all.”

“I’m not worried about that,” Magnus said. “I’m more worried about something Percy said Apollo told him. About our luck and knowledge running out. Annabeth, we really don’t have a clue what we’re doing. And you’re the smart one. What kind of messed up butterfly effect have we created?”

Annabeth bit her lip. “I don’t know, Magnus. We just have to be careful. A general outline is all we need to do what we have to do.”

Magnus opened his mouth to reply, but a terrible sound cut him off.

A howl.

A  _ wolf _ howl.

Wolves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh the title's similarity to Bianca di Angelo Makes a Choice was completely intentional. Just... they made choices about two different things.
> 
> Now if you thought I was sending Alex back to daddy and step mommy dearest, you thought wrong.
> 
> And yes, Percy and Annabeth are together because, well, they're bth from the future and they're together in that future. Plus, Percy was totally going to tell Annabeth how he felt in TTC before Athena smacked the courage out of him, so...
> 
> Also, apologies for that cliffhanger, but that's this story done. The Sum of Our Choices: The Battle of the Labyrinth will be up tomorrow though. At the moment, I'm thinking I will be posting the first five chapters throughout the day mostly because they're kind of short, so look out for that.
> 
> Hope everyone enjoyed this story, I know I loved bringing Magnus and Alex into the crazy world of the Greek gods and Camp Half-Blood.
> 
> Now, imma post this before my power goes out because it is storming really bad right now.


End file.
